Psychiatry and Society

What is OCD? OCD – Obsessive compulsive disorder – is a severe type of anxiety disorder involving obsessions and compulsions that affects the day-to-day functioning of a person. What are obsessions? Obsessions are thoughts, images, or impulses that occur over and over again; cause severe anxiety; feel outside the person’s control and affect the day to day functioning of a person. What obsessions are not Most of us know what it is like to be preoccupied with a thought, idea or even a person sometimes. These are not obsessions. They often give pleasure, usually pass off soon and do not affect our daily routine or work. Certain types of personality are also linked to a fastidious concern for details and “correctness”. However, this is not associated with anxiety and hence not an obsession. What are compulsions? Compulsions are repetitive behaviours aimed at decreasing the anxiety associated with the obsessions. What compulsions are not Not all repetitive behaviours are compulsions. Bedti...

Hi. I’m Jai. I’m 8 years old. This is my story. My doctor says I have an illness. I don’t feel sick. But I do know that grown-ups around me are annoyed with me most of the time. I’m constantly being told, “sit still’’, “stop dreaming”, “pay attention”. I can’t seem to be able to do just that. In class, I seem to lose track of what the teacher says . I try to listen, I really do. I start doing what she says, then I notice the insect fluttering on the window pane, I see the boy in the row ahead tapping his fingers on the desk, the office boy walking down the corridor and the sound of laughter from the next classroom. I don’t realise I have left my seat till teacher tells me “Jai, return to your seat”. My parents are frequently called to school to meet my class teacher . They are unhappy with my marks. They think I’m careless and lazy because I take all evening to do my homework. I tell my mother that I try hard. I feel sad and frustrated that she doesn’t understand or believe me. So...

Dealing with grief is a process of acceptance Grief is the response to losing someone to death . All of us understand that death and loss of a loved one is a part of life. However, the reality of death often leads to feelings of shock, sadness and confusion. Acute grief occurs in the immediate aftermath of the loss. It is intensely painful characterised by sadness, crying, constant thoughts of the deceased, disturbed sleep, appetite and disinterest in one’s own self and others. In a majority of cases, this is followed by integrated or abiding grief in which memories of the loved one mingle with sadness and longing but it does not persistently occupy the mind or disrupt normal day-to day activities. “Well, everyone can master a grief but he that has it.” William Shakespeare. Much Ado About Nothing. III.ii.25 Loss through death affects each of us differently. How one feels depends on the nature and circumstances of the loss, one’s beliefs and religion, age, relationships and one’s ...