Before taking a final exam, a person can feel overwhelmed by nausea. The emotions a test can bring are uncomfortable, but feeling anxious from time to time is normal, experts say.
Anxiety, however, is not a problem until it interferes with and takes control of everyday life.
When this happens, a person may be diagnosed with a condition commonly called obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
According to the Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation, an obsession is a thought, image or impulse that one experiences repeatedly.
The person recognizes that the thoughts are disturbing and may not make sense, but there is nothing he or she can do to stop it.
Because of this obsession, the person will perform a compulsive act to try and make the fixation go away.
"It is important to make the distinction between structured people and people who suffer from OCD," said Sandy Newes, a pre-doctoral intern at University Health Services.
"People who have obsessive-compulsive disorder have rigid and ritualistic obsessions that take over their thoughts and actions. They may feel like they have no control over a certain situation, but when they perform the compulsion, it gives them a sense of maintaining control."
A common example of an obsession is a person who worries about cleanliness and germs.
"The compulsion of hand washing is a common characteristic of OCD," said Dr. Elliot Rosencrantz, director of psychiatry at J.C. Blair Hospital in Huntingdon. "Compulsions are very ritualistic and exact. The patient does not want to change them."
The Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation, an international non-profit group comprised of people with OCD, says these habits differ from "typical" compulsions such as drinking or gambling. The compulsion an OCD patient performs does not bring an individual pleasure, but instead tries to stop the obsession controlling their thoughts.
"The cause of OCD is a genetic component brought on by negative environmental stimuli," Rosencrantz said.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is taking a biological approach to finding the causes of this disease.
Through brain-imaging studies, it found that abnormal neurochemical activities in specific areas of the brain might trigger OCD.
Because OCD might be accompanied by other mental disorders, such as substance abuse or depression, the disease may be difficult to detect and treat.
The NIMH says symptoms of the disease typically begin during the one's teenage years, but in rare cases children can develop them when they are preschool age.
It also said most people would try to hide or deny the problem, which only makes it worse.
Rosencrantz said there are drugs, such as Luvox to help people fight the disorder.
Newes said the key to overcoming OCD takes more than drugs, though.
"Anti-depressant medications are available from psychiatrists and medical doctors, and combined with counseling, this disorder does not have to control a person's life.
There are also OCD workbooks that a motivated person can buy and keep track of their progress by themselves," Newes said.
The NIMH devised a list of basic criteria that decide whether the person may be diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
If the thoughts and compulsions interfere with everyday life, or affect a person's life in a negative way, there is a good chance the person is obsessive-compulsive.
The NIMH states that a person should not be ashamed of or secretive about their disease.
With professional help and support from family and friends, OCD is a condition that should not keep a person from leading a normal life.
"OCD is not about everyday worries that all people experience. It is about people who allow these problems to interfere with their daily activities and the problem can take on a life of its own," Newes said.
