Those suffering from OCD have obsessions and/or compulsions. Obsessions refer to recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are intrusive and cause severe anxiety or distress. Compulsions refer to repetitive behaviors and rituals (such as hand washing, hoarding, ordering, checking) or mental acts (like counting, repeating words silently, avoiding). These obsessions and compulsions significantly interfere with normal routine, functioning, social activities and relationships. Also: Obsessive Compulsive, Obsessive-Compulsive, OCD

	Anxiety The Condition "...Mental health professionals speak of "anxiety disorders", of which there are multiple types - Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Obsessive-compulsive Disorder, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder - to mention but a few..." Chronic / Hidden Infection The Condition "...They point to new research that links germs to some forms of infertility, kidney disease, diabetes, stomach problems and even obsessive-compulsive disorder..." Constipation The Condition "...Psychogenic constipation is described as an obsessive-compulsive fixation on frequency and quality of bowel movements..." Inositol As A Treatment "...Additional studies have revealed that inositol supplementation is an effective treatment in panic and obsessive compulsive disorders..." Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) The Condition "...Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is characterized by obsessive thoughts and/or compulsive behaviors that significantly interfere with normal life..." Relationship to Low Serotonin Level "Although the exact cause is not known, experts believe that OCD may be caused by low levels of a chemical in the brain called serotonin..." Relationship to Depression "Depression is a common complication of OCD: "up to 80% of people diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder also suffer from depression" [Barlow, 1988]..." Recommendation Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) "...Vitamin B6 status of depressed and obsessive-compulsive patients..." Recommendation Counseling "Behavioral therapy teaches people with OCD to confront their fears and reduce the anxiety without performing the rituals..." Recommendation Conventional Drug Use "The most effective medications for OCD are the SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) Prozac, Paxil, Luvox, and Zoloft as well as the tricyclic Anafranil..." Recommendation Inositol "One study showed that 18gm of inositol daily (2 tsp in juice 3 times daily) for 6 weeks significantly reduced OCD symptoms compared with placebo..." Recommendation Test for B12 Levels "In one study of OCD patients, 20% had abnormally low serum vitamin B12 concentrations compared to the two control groups..." Recommendation Tryptophan / 5HTP "OCD may be related to a central disturbance in serotonin metabolism, a hypothesis which appears to explain the efficacy of serotonin reuptake-blocking drugs..." Tourette's Syndrome Relationship to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) "It is now recognized that obsessive-compulsive symptoms occur in about half of patients with Tourette Syndrome..." Recommendation Marijuana "A single 5-10mg dose of a compound extracted from marijuana (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, D9-THC) improved tics and obsessive-compulsive behavior in a well-designed study of 12 adults with Tourette's syndrome..." Trichotillomania The Condition "...Some experts feel that trichotillomania is a variant of obsessive compulsive disorder..."

Last updated: Feb 28, 2008