Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

In the United States, researchers estimate that about 24 percent of people ages, 18 or older, or about 44 million adults, have a mental illness or has experienced one during the course of his or hers life time. About 2.6 percent of adults in the United States, suffer from severe disorders such as, bipolar disorder and OCD (Obsessive-compulsive disorder ).

Bipolar Disorder is a brain disorder that causes a person's mood and ability to function to change at any given time . Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They can damaged relationships, mess up jobs or school, and even cause suicide. About 5.7 million American adults have bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder develops in young adults around the ages 20 to 30. However, some people have their first symptoms during childhood, and some develop them late in life. Bipolar disorders is usually not recognized as an illness, and people may suffer for years before it they are diagnosed and treated. Bipolar disorder is a long-term illness that must be taken care of throughout a person's life. The symptoms of bipolar disorder are very quick mood swings they can go form being short tempered to being depressed in seconds. These are called episodes of mania ( Abnormally and persistently elevated (high) mood or irritability accompanied by at least three of the following symptoms and depression.

OCD (Obsessive-compulsive disorder) is an anxiety disorder. People with it have recurrent, unwanted thoughts they have an obsession . They repeat behaviors. Repetitive behaviors such as hand washing, counting, checking, or cleaning are often performed hopping obsessive thoughts will go away. Performing these so-called "rituals," only provide temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety.

OCD and Bipolar disorder are similar and different in many ways. OCD and bipolar are both mental disorders this means they start in the brain. They effect a person's everyday life making it hard for them to succeed and/or just get threw the day. People can become depressed from both OCD and Bipolar making it a very serious disorder. However OCD is an anxiety disorder as to bipolar which is an mania disorder.