The waking nightmare: an overview of obsessive compulsive disorder.

Symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) have been recognized for centuries. Only recently, however, has this disorder been the focus of significant research. OCD remains one of the least understood, least diagnosed, and most disabling of the anxiety disorders. Patients are imprisoned in senseless rituals that siphon off energy that could otherwise contribute to their socioeconomic functioning or personal development. OCD often begins in adolescence and persists in some form throughout adulthood. Recent findings shed light on the epidemiology of OCD and its association with other disorders, and point to a neurophysiologic model involving serotonin.