Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD is a psychiatric disorder marked by decreased serotonin neurotransmitter and issues at the level of the basal ganglia, which leads to repetitive behaviors and ruminations. OCD can affect your mood, memory and more. It is characterized by obsessions and compulsions, which are the defining features of this disorder. It is technically an anxiety disorder, with the compulsions acting as a means to lessen obsessions. It tends to have a bimodal distribution with an early peak during young adult hood (23 years) and another at the level of childhood (11 years):
Obsessions: Unwanted, intrusive, and recurring thoughts, urges, or images that cause intense distress.
Anxiety: The obsession triggers extreme fear, doubt, or unease.
Compulsion: Repetitive behaviors or mental acts the person feels driven to perform to reduce the anxiety or prevent a feared event.
Temporary Relief: The compulsion temporarily relieves the anxiety, but the obsession eventually returns, restarting the cycle.
Treatment: High dose Serotonin Re-uptake inhibitors and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy