Brett Larsen was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, when he was just 12. The disorder causes anxiety and Larson was used to repeat small tasks like closing a door or flushing the toilet or taking a shower to get some sort of relief.

Dr. Gerald Maguire, Larsen's psychiatrist, said it has been very difficult for Larsen to live with the disease. Larsen, who is 37 now, decided to undergo deep brain stimulation to get rid of the life-troubling condition. He got electrodes planted in his brain. The electrodes were nestled near the striatum because it plays a major role in causing deep, primitive emotions such as anxiety and fear.

Brett said that it all started after his father died and he was just 10 at that time when he began to experience obsessions and compulsions.

Larsen has tried everything, like multiple medication combinations, cognitive behavioral therapy, cross-country visits to specialists, even hospitalization, in last two decades to get permanent relief from the condition, but all in vain. However, things finally improved after January when Larsen got his device activated.

"I feel like I'm getting better every day. I feel like I'm more able to achieve the things I want to do since I had the surgery", said Larsen.

He said he feels more relaxed and calm when they turn the device. He has sought significant decline in his compulsive behavior and he does not find any difficulty in performing tasks like putting on his shoes. He is now free from the need of spinning the shoes or other objects around in an incessant circle to curb his anxiety.

The electrodes do some alterations with the electric field around regions of the brain that are thought to have an influence on the disease, said Dr. Frank Hsu, Professor and chair of the department of neurosurgery at University of California, Irvine.