f having some physical malady, typically cancer or some life threatening disease. This condition in referred to as hypocondriasis (Weinberg). Those with OCD can have either obsessions or compulsions or both. About twenty percent have wither obsessions or compulsions. The other eighty percent have both. Obsessions are unwanted thoughts that are recurrent and persistent impulses, or images that cause extreme anxiety or distress. They are not simply excessive worries about real-life problems. Of course, we all have comforting little rituals. Obsessions may start as early as ages 3 or 4 and the conditions are more common in boys than in girls until mid-adolescence. True obsessions are far, more common in children than ever imagined in the past: at least half of adults with OCD report onset of symptoms during childhood, and many more during adolescence. Obsession is a term that is misunderstood very often. An example of this would be that, “my brother is obsessed with his new shoes.” Obsessions intrude into consciousness despite efforts to avoid these thoughts. Some typical obsessions include: *fear of something wrong with one’s body *Fear one has not done something “just right” *excessive concern about germs, contamination, or “dirty substances” *fear of things not being lined up “right” or turned off While these are some of the more common obsessions, there are many more, and it is not uncommon to discover clients who are having a variety of different obsessions which gravely interfere with their ability to concentrate on anything else (Schwartz). Compulsions are behaviors employed, over and over to try to get rid of the obsessive thoughts by some ritual, repetitive action. These are often carried to considerable extremes. Children with OCD do not announce they have obsessions or compulsions; rather, they throw “tizzy fits.” Adults with OCD may have difficulty getting to ...
