Giving Compass' Take:

• Seattle Children's Hospital breaks down everything you need to know about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

• How can funders increase access to existing resources and information about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? How can funders accelerate research on treatments for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?

• Learn how to find and fund scientific research. 

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder. Children and teens with OCD keep thinking that something is wrong, dirty or could hurt them. These repeated worries are called obsessions. The worries make kids with OCD repeat the same behaviors over and over (compulsions or rituals).

It is estimated that over 6 million people in the United States have OCD.

Doctors have not yet found the exact causes of OCD. Research suggests that these factors play a part in developing OCD:

  • Genetics. Children with OCD are more likely to have some relatives with OCD or other anxiety disorders.
  • The chemical messenger serotonin. OCD responds positively to medicines that affect the level of serotonin in the brain.

Some examples of obsessions include excessive worries about:

  • Contamination
  • Perfectionism
  • Safety
  • Rule breaking
  • Disturbing thoughts or images

Read the full article about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder at Seattle Children's Hospital.