Zimbabwe OCD Trust

• to give individuals diagnosed with OCD and AD, an opportunity to lead a normal life. • to provide a platform for OCD and AD sufferers, to engage with each other and to express their life challenges without the prejudice of stigma associated with mental disorder. • to raise the general awareness of the existence of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Anxiety Disorder(AD) among communities • to bring to the fore, the government and related stakeholders, on the impact of OCD and AD and mental health at large, on the economic wellbeing of those affected, their immediate families and the economy at large. The organization’s strategic goals shall be informed by the following: • enhance learning and understanding of the disease amongst all stakeholders, i.e. the sufferers, the caregivers, the general population and the government, through its institutions. • promoting sufferers rights in society and de-stigmatization of the disease in communities • strengthening organizational capacity in support of the goals of providing early diagnosis and requisite support to the sufferers. Overview Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a common, chronic and long-lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions) that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over. People with OCD may have symptoms of obsessions, compulsions, or both. These symptoms can interfere with all aspects of life, such as work, school, and personal relationships. Obsessions are repeated thoughts, urges, or mental images that cause anxiety. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors that a person with OCD feels the urge to do in response to an obsessive thought. OCD is a common disorder that affects adults, adolescents, and children all over the world. Most people are diagnosed by about age 19, typically with an earlier age of onset in boys than in girls, but onset after age 35 does happen.