Statistical Data On Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Anyone who has studied statistical analysis will tell you statistics are never factual, since they can be viewed, sliced and diced in any number of ways. However they are helpful benchmarks for comparisons that help us understand the world from certain perspectives. As you read the OCD facts below, keep in mind they alone will not change unwanted thought patterns. For that you will want to seek professional assistance to help you overcome and treat your OCD

• Approximately 2.3% of the population between ages 18- 54 suffer from OCD. Approximately 1 in 50 people are affected.
• In the US approximately 3.3 million people have OCD, though some estimates have been as high as 6 million
• At anytime, one percent of the US population can be labeled as having obsessive compulsive disorder, so it is far from being rare or unusual.
• In the United States, approximately half the diagnosed OCD cases are considered severe
• OCD is found in all ethnic groups. Both men and women are equally effected, although in children, OCD seems to be more prevalent in boys.
• A third to a half of all sufferers will find OCD rooted in childhood, with a fractional percentage showing signs as early as pre-school. In most cases however, symptoms will being as a teenager
• The age of onset is typically reported ages 6 – 15 for males and 20 – 29 for females. New cases of obsessive compulsive disorder after the age of 40 are less common
• The average onset age of OCD is 19
• It is estimated that less than 10 % of those suffering from obsessions or compulsions will seek effective treatment.
• OCD symptoms worsen with stress and fatigue.
• There is no definite scientific evidence as to the cause of OCD. It used to be attributed to hereditary, others view it as a chemical imbalance and their are those who believe a big part of obsessive tendencies revolve around the inability to effectively cope with numerous types of stress as the real underlining issue
• Delaying treatment in the hope symptoms will alleviate is an ineffective long term strategy
• Most people with OCD will go 6 to 9 years before seeking any form of treatment. Many become obsessed in researching OCD, which only prolongs treatment even more.
• Treatment is often delayed to perceived shame or embarrassment and the feeling no one will understand what is being experienced. Others feel they have to fix themselves or don’t trust they will find competent help
• OCD need not be a consistent condition and can change over time. There may be periods the symptoms minimize or disappear before they return. Others will notice a steady increase of intensity or frequency the longer the obsessions continue.
• Social and economic costs for OCD were estimated at $8.4 billion in 1990
• In England, the mean length of stay for hospitalization for OCD in 2002-03 was 50 days
• OCD has a detrimental impact on many factors of quality of life, including level of education, employment status, and financial independence.
• While medications can impact the symptoms; most people will require other forms of intervention or therapy
• Those with compulsions performs tasks to temporarily relieve stress from obsessive-related anxiety.
• There is no cure for OCD because it is not really a disease. It is an antiquated label. However people can manage or change their thinking patterns to minimize unwanted thoughts and out of control emotions.
• While some may always have some manageable  levels of OCD, others can actually change the effectiveness of their processing abilities so the symptoms disappear.
• Up to 60% of suffers of OCD will have no overt compulsions and often referred to as “pure-O”
• For those with OCD, the possibility of actually following through on intrusive thoughts is extremely minimal.
• People with OCD are often diagnosed with other conditions, such as social anxiety, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, tourettes, trichotillomania, generalized anxiety disorder, ADHD, ADD, Asperger syndrome, Bi-polar, etc.
• Those suffering from anxiety disorders tend to have a higher risk of substance abuse and addiction. It’s their way of coping with stress and discomfort.
• Typical OCD treatments involve pharmaceuticals. Unfortunately the relapse rate of only using pharmaceuticals can be as high as 90%, which is why other therapies are required. .
  

  OCD facts were derived from US and British sources