OCD can start at any time from preschool age to adulthood (usually by age 40). One third to one half of adults report that their OCD started during childhood. On average, people with OCD see 3 to 4 doctors and spend over 9 years seeking treatment before they receive a correct diagnosis.
OCD Can Cause Significant Anxiety
If you have OCD, you may experience severe anxiety as a result of obsessive thoughts. Oftentimes, rituals or compulsions are used to reduce the anxiety caused by obsessions. 1 These behaviors include: Repeatedly checking to make sure doors are locked.
People with pure OCD still experience the main symptoms of the disorder: intrusive thoughts known as obsessions and repetitive rituals known as compulsions. The difference with other types of OCD is that compulsions in pure OCD aren't visible behaviors, like pacing around or wriggling your hands.
- OCD affects 2.5 million adults or 1.2% of the U.S. population. NIMH: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. - Women are 3x more likely to be affected than men. - The average age of onset is 19, with 25% of cases occurring by age 14.
around 3 per cent of Australians experience OCD in their lifetime.
China. Industrial and population juggernaut China reports a higher percentage of OCD compared to the global average, with 1.63% of the population facing the disorder.
Harm OCD. This subtype of OCD involves intrusive thoughts of harming others or committing some sort of violent act. Someone who suffers from these types of thoughts experiences significant distress, because thoughts of harming others are inconsistent with their values and who they are.
The prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorders among men and women is almost equal, but women tend to have an earlier onset and more obsessions related to food and weight than men. Schizophrenia affects women more favorably than men. Women have a later onset, fewer symptoms and a better response to treatment.
Interesting OCD Statistics and Facts
OCD affects approximately 1 in 40 adults and 1 in 100 children in the United States. The average age of onset for OCD is around 19 years old. Around 50% of people with OCD experience symptoms before the age of 18. Women are more likely to be diagnosed with OCD than men.
OCD was originally thought to be rare, but a number of studies have reported a lifetime prevalence that ranges between approximately 1% to 3% worldwide. Thus, it is one of the more common and serious mental conditions.
Statistics show that anywhere from 1.1% to 1.8% of the global population struggles with OCD. Within the United States, OCD prevalence is about 2.2% of the population, though only about 1.2% is diagnosed.
Key points about OCD in children
OCD is a type of anxiety disorder. A child with OCD has obsessive thoughts that are not wanted. They are linked to fears, such as touching dirty objects. The child uses compulsive rituals such as handwashing to control the fears.
Presentation. Primarily obsessional OCD has been called "one of the most distressing and challenging forms of OCD."
OCD is a common disorder that affects adults, adolescents, and children all over the world. Most people are diagnosed by about age 19, typically with an earlier age of onset in boys than in girls, but onset after age 35 does happen.
Around the ages of 10 to 12 years, the first peak of OCD cases occur. This time frequently coincides with increasing school and performance pressures, in addition to biologic changes of brain and body that accompany puberty.
“OCD symptoms can intensify during times of stress or when you feel like life is getting out of control.” People with OCD regularly experience extreme, yet unnecessary, worry. Obsessive and uncontrollable thoughts can interfere with life to the point of serious disruption.
Common compulsive behaviors in OCD include:
Repeatedly checking in on loved ones to make sure they're safe. Counting, tapping, repeating certain words, or doing other senseless things to reduce anxiety. Spending a lot of time washing or cleaning. Ordering or arranging things “just so”.
It's what is called “pure-O” OCD, in that there are no observable ritualistic behaviors such as checking or hand washing. The most common horrific thought is that of impulsively harming someone. Sufferers may be afraid that they will stab or shoot someone, commit suicide, or molest a child.
Childhood-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects 1%–2% of children and adolescents. It is characterized by recurrent obsessions and compulsions that create distress and interfere with daily life.
How Many Children Have OCD? It is estimated that least 1 in 200 kids and teens - or around 500,000 youth in the United States - have OCD. This is about the same number of kids who have diabetes.
For example, a North American review of 21 clinical trials of OCD from 1995- 2008 reported ethnicities as 91.5% European Americans, 1.6% Asian, 1.3% African American, 1.0% Hispanic, 1.5% as Other, and 3.1% as Unknown [11].