People often jokingly point to odd habits or tidiness as signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD. But the truth is OCD is a very real disorder that affects more than 2 million Americans, and there is a big difference between maintaining a morning routine or keeping a clean home and living with the disorder.
Ten years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks many people continue to struggle with symptoms of anxiety, stress and even posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
Most children with OCD are diagnosed around age 10, although the disorder can strike children as young as 2 or 3. Boys are more likely to develop OCD before puberty, while girls tend to develop it during adolescence. Unlike adults, children do not always realize that their obsessions and compulsions are excessive.
Funding for this video provided by a grant from the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP)
Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, most adults have accepted that we live in a new era of trying times. Tornadoes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters, as well as explosions, and other traumatic events threaten our sense of safety and security, and they occur around the world on any given day. Adults often struggle with the effects of trauma, even though they understand them. But children react differently based on their personality, age, and circumstances.
Anticipating the arrival of a hurricane, tornado, blizzard, or any severe storm strikes fear and anxiety in the people in its path for good reason. Natural disasters disrupt lives in significant ways, including creating physical and mental health problems and major economic challenges. And the never-ending news about a storm’s arrival may increase your anxiety, stress, and fear.
The ho
lidays are an exciting time of good cheer, warm family traditions, and spending time with friends. Or, are they?
I've suffered from generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, coupled with panic attacks for more than two decades.
My son Dan was in college, and by the time I arrived at his dorm, he had not eaten in more than a week. He was spending hours at a time sitting in one particular chair, hunched over with his head in his hands, doing absolutely nothing. He could not enter most of the buildings on campus and could only do minimal amounts of work at specific times. To top it all off, he was self-injuring.
"Books, pencils, pens; books, pencils, pens."