The aim of these behaviors is to reduce or eliminate distress or to prevent something that is dreaded. These behaviors are either not realistically related to the events they are supposed to counteract or they are clearly excessive for that purpose. During some part of the illness the patient recognizes that the obsessions or compulsions are unreasonable or excessive. Interfere with the patient's usual routine or social, work or personal functioning. The symptoms are not directly caused by a general medical condition or by substance use, including medications and drugs of abuse.
Some disorders have similar or even the same symptom.
A second peak of incidence occurs during the third decade of life. Once established, obsessive-compulsive disorder is likely to persist throughout life with varying degrees of severity. However, the exact cause is still unknown. There is some evidence to suggest that OCD may be inherited. There is no cure for OCD, However, there are several types of treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder.