A woman describes having an intense fear of germs. She constantly has random thoughts about developing an illness or disease by touching things around her. As a result, he washes his hands repeatedly because this reduces the anxiety he feels about his fear. After a while, his fear returns and he begins the ritual of washing his hands repeatedly. This person is most likely suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder. Obsessive compulsive disorder, OCD, is an anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted, uncontrollable thoughts (obsessions) and/or the constant repetition of certain behaviors (compulsions) (Baldridge). OCD affects both men and women equally and affects approximately 2% of the population (Britannica.com). Living with OCD is challenging and affects the life of the person suffering, their family and even their friends. The exact cause of OCD is not known, but there are some factors that contribute to the development of symptoms of the disorder such as genetic, cognitive, biological, and environmental factors (Merril). There are two diagnostic symptoms of OCD: obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are images or ideas that run uncontrollably through a person's head and that a person may find bothersome because it is difficult to shake them off (nimh.org). Some examples of obsessions a person may experience are excessive fear of germs or contamination, constant checking and rechecking, unwanted sexual thoughts or feelings, and concern about symmetry and order (nimh.gov). To get rid of obsessive thoughts, sufferers repeatedly perform certain behaviors. These repetitive actions are called compulsions (familydoctor.org). Doing certain things temporarily eliminates the discomfort caused by obsessions. But, when the thoughts return, they repeat their rituals all over again. People with OCD feel they must perform these rituals