OCD is an anxiety disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings,, sensations, or behaviors that make them feel driven to do something.

Typical obsessions can take the form of constant doubt, fear of germs and contamination, impulses to do something that may seem socially inappropriate or overly aggressive, having the need to keep things in a particular order, or having repetitive sexual fantasies.

According to the Understanding OCD (UOCD) website, approximately 3.3 million people have OCD in the U.S.

“A lot of people claim to have OCD, but they have no idea what it is, or how serious it is,” an anonymous student said.

As stated by www.designedthinking.com, one third to a half of all sufferers find OCD symptoms in childhood, and it is most common for symptoms of the disorder to show in teenagers. At Staples, there are a handful of students who do suffer from this lifetime disorder to the point where it actually affects their daily lives at school.

“I am overly organized and particular about certain things, especially with school work,” said one senior girl who was granted anonymity. “I have to do work in a certain order and follow a certain routine, and if I don’t it just stresses me out.”

The anonymous student explained that her father has OCD, and it runs in her family. Her doctor informed her that she had it too; however, she describes her obsessions and compulsions as “pretty minor.”

Mel Schwartz, a psychotherapist and author of “The Art of Intimacy, the Pleasure of Love,” explains how a person may become obsessive or compulsive.

“For the most part, I believe it’s often environmentally learned and witnessed through the behavior of a parent. But in other cases it’s just the way an individual overcompensates for stress and anxiety,” Schwartz said. “My beliefs are that although heriditary are that although it plays a part, our environment plays a larger part.”

The student explains that she randomly feels the need to always hit the “caps lock” button on her computer and that when she “feels like she needs to, and is not allowed to,” it gives her anxiety.

Also, the student must follow a specific routine when getting ready for school in the morning. She explains that she must put in her contacts, then brush her teeth, and then turn on all of the lights in her room. The order of her routine is the same every morning.

“My OCD mostly revolves around order, rather than specific habits,” the student said.

Will Streiter ’12 also feels the need to keep things organized but explains that his OCD shows up randomly, not constantly.

“I spend a great deal of time at home organizing and reordering all of the shoes in my garage and my room,” Streiter said. “They must be lined up perfectly, but I can never achieve perfection.”

Additionally, Streiter also feels the need to keep all cabinets and drawers  closed, and to “keep everything balanced.”

While the anonymous student considers her OCD to be pretty manageable, Strieter finds that his obsessions and compulsions are extremely distracting at school, and that his focus often shifts from school work to his obsessive thoughts. Streiter says the distractions are drastic enough to affect his grades in school.

Streiter explained the severity distraction in his pre-calculus class froma poster spanning three walls of the classroom, showing the first five hundred digits of pi.

“Instead of paying attention in class, if I catch even a glimpse of the poster, I have to memorize and quietly recite as many digits of pi as possible for the rest of class until the bell ring,” Streiter said. “I had roughly 50 digits memorized by the end of the first quarter.”

In order to overcome this obstacle, Streiter requested a seat change so his             back was to the poster. He also forced himself to refuse to recite the digits when he accidentally looked at the poster.

But for Streiter, and others with obsessions and compulsions, overcoming OCD is no easy task.

Schwartz explains what it takes to conquer OCD.

“First, I’d recommend seeing a therapist if possible. As well, OCD suggests that something is out of balance,” Schwartz said. “Ask yourself what this behavior is masking. This is likely a fear ofrinsecurity underneath it.”

Commonly, people with OCD are also prescribed medication. However, www.desighnedthing.com said the relapse rate of only using pharmaceuticals can be as high as 80-90%, which is why other therapies are required.

Schwatz also explained that “the longer the bad habit, the more entrenched it becomes,” so he advises addressing the issue at a younger age is best.

But even with the help of a therapist or medication, another student with OCD who requested anonymity explains this may not be enough.

“OCD is not simple. It’s not something that you can easily talk yourself out of,” the anonymous student said. “It is true to the name: obsessive: it is nonstop. Compulsive: you’re not thinking it through; you’re just going with it. And it is truly a disorder.”