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Obsessive compulsive anxiety disorder is a psychological anomaly that consists of two main parts. The obsession is an irrational fear, and the compulsion is the act the person feels is needed to combat the fear. The obsession generates anxiety and stress, since those with obsessive compulsive anxiety disorder realize that their fears and actions are not rational, yet are powerless to stop. They do not want the thoughts and fears that constantly intrude, and the compulsive acts are often desperate attempts to banish such thoughts.

Once someone with obsessive compulsive anxiety disorder becomes fixated on a fear, such as contracting a serious disease, the thought generates a high level of stress. In an attempt to alleviate this fear, one with obsessive compulsive anxiety disorder will develop a subconscious compulsion to combat it. For fear of a disease, they may wash their hands frequently, refuse physical contact with others such as shaking hands, or disinfect their environment frequently. In more extreme cases, they may resort to wearing respiratory masks, refusing to eat food they did not personally prepare, or even refusing to go out in public.

Obsessive compulsive anxiety disorder can also manifest in fears for others. For example, a child may become convinced that a parent will be killed in an auto accident with a red truck. The otherwise powerless child attempts to alleviate the anxiety by finding something he can control, such as counting every red truck he sees in the belief that if he misses one, the event will happen.

Fear of fire is also common to people suffering from this disorder. The patient forms a ritual to avoid a fire from happening. Checking that the oven is turned off even in days they haven’t used it or banishing candle lighting in the house are all common behaviors. Severe cases include false calls to the fire department so that they know how much time it takes them to respond to the call.

Some people with obsessive compulsive anxiety disorder become obsessed with numbers and counting. They may not be able to read a paragraph until they have counted the number of lines in the paragraph or the number of characters on a line. If the count results in a number they have deemed as unlucky, they may skip the paragraph. Or some with obsessive compulsive anxiety disorder may insist on counting the number of street lamps between their home and their destination.

Patients tend to organize their kitchen and refrigerator in a specific way, according to their pattern and throw away products that don’t follow this pattern. Furniture can also be arranged in a specific way and even a small change can cause them stress.

The fact that those with obsessive compulsive anxiety disorder know the fallacy of their beliefs coupled with interference with activities they want to do can generate a great deal of stress. Despite this, the only way they can find to alleviate the anxiety is to perform the compulsory action. This works for a while, but then the cycle begins again. The continuous battle against anxiety can trigger depression and in severe cases, even thought of suicide.

Obsessive compulsive anxiety disorder can be treated. Several different prescription medications have met with success, although there is no single drug that is effective for everyone with obsessive compulsive anxiety disorder. Professional therapy is mainly supportive in nature, such as training in aversion therapy.