Vicious Circle

DR. Chandrashekhar, professor of psychiatry at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bangalore, says repetitive behaviour can include any­thing from washing clothes several times a day to dusting every five min­utes, checking at regular intervals whether the lights and the air condi­tioners are switched off, frequently re-arranging furniture at home, com­pulsive shopping (whether you have the money for it or not) and the fre­quent performance of religious rites.

Thousands of people suffer from OCD. But a majority of them don't know it. And their cycle of washing and cleaning and counting and or­ganising things endlessly disrupts their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

So what exactly is Obsessive Com­pulsive Disorder?
OCD is an anxiety disorder that is characterised by recurrent, unwant­ed thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive actions (compulsions).

Doctors say those suffering from recurrent, unwanted thoughts often feel the urge to perform certain 'ritu­als' or repetitive behaviour in the hope that these unwanted thoughts will go away. But the 'rituals' only provide temporary relief. And they make matters worse because a per­son suffering from OCD gets increas­ingly anxious if he / she does not perform those rituals, trapping him / her in a vicious circle.

Psychiatrists at NIMHANS say common symptoms of this disorder are set behaviour patterns, use of repetitive language or words, indecision and recursion and recurring visions and con­stant fear. It also manifests itself in attempts at maintaining impeccable personal hygiene like frequently having baths or constantly changing undergarments.

Obsession with numbers is also a compulsion. Others, like Anu, a Delhi-based professional, have a fetish for order and symmetry. "Every­thing has to be in place because I hate any kind of clutter," she says.