Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder in which a
person has an unreasonable thought, fear, or worry that he/she
may try to manage by performing a ritual activity to reduce the
anxiety. Frequently occurring disturbing thoughts or images are
called obsessions, and the repeated rituals performed to try to
prevent or dispel them are called compulsions. During the normal
growth and developmental process of children and adolescents,
rituals and obsessive thoughts normally occur with a purpose and
focus based on age. Preschool children often use rituals and
routines around mealtimes, bath and bedtime to help them
stabilize their expectations and understanding of their world.
School-aged children normally develop group rituals as they
learn to play games, team sports and recite rhymes. Older
children and teens begin to collect objects and develop hobbies.
These rituals help individuals to socialize and learn to master
anxiety. An individual with OCD has obsessive thoughts that are
unwanted and related