1. OCD Denis O This is a project for a High School AP Psychology course. This is a fictionalized account of having a psychological ailment. For questions about this blog project or its content please email the teacher Chris Jocham: jocham@fultonschools.org

2. OCD Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by repetitive inner thoughts that cause fear, nervousness, and an array of obsessions and compulsions.

4. Cause The causes of OCD are unknown but it is agreed to have to relate to psychological and biological factors

6. Biological Causes OCD is believed to be caused by an abnormal level of the neurotransmitter Serotonin Serotonin is believed to control anxiety This disorder may also be caused by a possible genetic mutation

7. Obsessions These are thoughts that continue to linger and/or repeat in one’s head over and over again. These thoughts occur no matter how much the sufferer tries to ignore them

10. Compulsions These are the repetitive actions that someone with OCD may continue to do no matter how much they resist This includes rituals that are formed to either prevent an anxiety-causing event from happening or to remove the event from their thoughts (hand washing, etc.)

13. Treatment Behavioral Therapy and other adverse Medications may be used to treat Obsessive-Compulsive disorder

16. Behavioral Therapy This therapy involves slowly getting the OCD sufferer to learn to tolerate the anxiety he/she feels by stopping the completion of any repetitive compulsions or rituals

19. Medication Medications include SSRI’s which are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors.