OCD Statistics People Should Know

Since obsessive- compulsive disorder is one of the most common mental illnesses in the United States, knowing the statistics could pay off for most individuals. Most people know at least one person who suffers from this disorder. Understanding more about it can help each person understand sufferers just a little bit more. This is a disorder that affects men, women and children of all ages. There are treatment options out there, which mean nobody has to suffer from this as much as they would without the treatment. Important OCD statistics include:

- This is one of the most common disorders out there; it actually affects 2.2 million American adults each year. This number increases to around four million in the United States when children and young adults are factored into the equation. The number of people who are diagnosed is set to increase each year in the future. Since there are treatments available most people can keep their symptoms under control and lead regular lives.

- A lot of people who have OCD don't actually get treatment because they don't think they have a problem. For example, people who hoard think that they are just collectors of items. Someone on the outside will see that this is clearly not the case when viewing the home. It will generally be filled with piles of garbage, unopened boxes and useless items. Each OCD sufferer is different, but most feel they don't have a problem until someone brings it up to them.

- The total cost of treatment for mental illness is around $147 billion dollars. In 1990, OCD accounted for almost 6% of this. This statistic has risen in the recent years and will continue to do so in the future. Only about 10% of people who have OCD are actually in treatment. The prices will continue to rise, especially with individuals who seek prescription medications.

- Almost half of sufferers have this disorder because of something that happened during their childhood. This is generally a huge life changing or traumatic event. This is something large enough to affect their abilities at that age. A lot of children who go through trauma will develop more slowly than others and have a lot of mental problems as they grow up.

- This is a disorder that doesn't just stay the same throughout the life of an individual. It will constantly evolve into something new and that means a lot of different stresses throughout life. Even individuals who beat this for a long time might find that they have episodes of OCD that they cannot control in the future. This is why continued treatment is so important and a doctor should be consulted for any changes.

- Symptoms can easily worsen when someone is under a lot of stress, gets sick or feels fatigue. Learning how to cope with these can really help with reducing stress levels and keeping OCD under control. There are a lot of tools that can be learned in therapy to help each individual deal with their symptoms.

- Obsessive- compulsive disorder can easily ruin the quality of life for sufferers. Most people have a hard time keeping relationships with family members and romantic partners as well. In addition to this, many people struggle to find jobs because they aren't able to focus on what they need to get done. Education can also be extremely difficult when it comes to dealing with the symptoms of OCD. Socializing and being independent are not easy for people who suffer from this disorder on a daily basis.

- Most people will not follow through with some of the intrusive thoughts they have throughout the day. Although something might disturb an individual, they generally won't have to worry about performing the action associated with the thought.

- Treatment is absolutely essential for people who want to control their thoughts. Without the aid of medications or therapy, most people will only end up having more severe problems in the future. Depression, extreme weight gain, extreme weight loss and hair loss are all problems that can arise from the stress of this disorder.

- There are thousands of people who are misdiagnosed each and every year. Self- diagnosis is to blame for quite a few of these cases. People who think they or a loved one has OCD will need to go see a qualified doctor. There are a lot of professionals who specialize in helping OCD patients regularly.


Article Source: David Rodrigue