February 2, 2007, Newsletter Issue #102: Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Tip of the Week

Diagnosis can only be done by a licensed professional. Treatment is available, see your doctor or a therapist

Either obsessions or compulsions:
Obsessions as defined by 1,2,3,and 4:
1. recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced as intrusive and inappropriate and cause anxiety or distres

2. the thoughts, impulses, or images are not simply excessive worries about real-life problems

3. the person attempts to ignore or suppress these thoughts, impulses, or images or to neutralize them with some other thought or action

4. the person recognizes that the ovsessional thoughts, impulses, or images are a product of his or her own mind

Compulsions as defind by 1 and 2:

1. repetitive behaviors (e.g., hand washing, ordering, checking) or mental acts (e.g., praying, counting, repeating words silently) that the person feels driven to perform in response to and obsession, or to rules that must be applied rigidly

2. the behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing distress or preventing some dreaded event or situation: however, these behaviors either are not connected in a realistic way with what they are desighed to neutralize or prevent or are clearly excessive

About LifeTips

Now one of the top on-line publishers in the world, LifeTips offers tips to millions of monthly visitors. Our mission mission is to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Expert writers earn dough for what they know. And exclusive sponsors in each niche topic help us make-it-all happen.