Thank you for this explanation of this often misunderstood and misrepresented disorder. I'd also like to add that the first line psychological treatment for OCD as recommended by the American Psychological Association is a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy known as exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy. My son had OCD so severe he could not even eat, and ERP literally saved his life.Today he is a young man living life to the fullest. I recount my family's story in my critically acclaimed book, Overcoming OCD: A Journey to Recovery (Rowman & Littlefield, January 2015) and discuss all aspects of the disorder on my blog at www.ocdtalk.wordpress.com. There truly is hope for all those who suffer from this insidious disorder!