What is OCD?

OCD is an extension of the 'what if?' thought processes common to all anxiety disorders. OCD is simply an exaggeration of 'normal' thought patterns.

For example, hand-washing is a necessity of cleanliness; in OCD however, hand-washing is carried out repeatedly to ensure total cleanliness in order to avoid a perceived 'catastrophic' outcome.

Some OCD sufferers may fear that not turning a light switch on and off a set number of times may cause harm to a member of their family. Whilst the fear is completely unfounded (inappropriate), the sufferer carries out the compulsion religiously.

Most OCD sufferers and the medical practitioners who diagnose OCD are of the opinion that it is a stand-alone disorder from the 'anxiety disorder' family of conditions.

OCD is not a stand-alone condition, it is a symptom of an underlying anxiety disorder, without the core anxiety which fuels the obsessive beliefs and compulsions of the sufferer, OCD simply cannot exist.

If the core anxiety is removed, OCD simply fades away. OCD is fuelled by the catastrophic thought patterns common to all anxiety disorder sufferers, it is not a stand-alone condition because, as such, it would need to be present in isolation.

OCD can be eliminated very efficiently indeed, the fastest and most permanent solution is to address and remove the anxiety response which fuels it.