Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a disorder characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions, such as cleaning, checking, counting, or hoarding.Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), one of the anxiety disorders, is a potentially disabling condition that can persist throughout a person’s life. The individual who suffers from OCD becomes trapped in a pattern of repetitive thoughts and behaviors that are senseless and distressing but extremely difficult to overcome. OCD occurs in a spectrum from mild to severe. OCD usually involves having both obsessions and compulsions, though a person with OCD may sometimes have only one or the other.
Obsessions
Obsessions are thoughts, images, or impulses that occur over and over again and feel out of your control. The person does not want to have these ideas, finds them disturbing and intrusive, and usually recognizes that they don’t really make sense.
Compulsions
People with OCD typically try to make their obsessions go away by performing compulsions. Compulsions are acts the person performs over and over again, often according to certain “rules.
Common Obsessions
- Contamination fears of germs, dirt, etc.
- Imagining having harmed self or others
- Imagining losing control of aggressive urges
- Intrusive sexual thoughts or urges
- Excessive religious or moral doubt
- Forbidden thoughts
- A need to have things “just so”
- A need to tell, ask, confess
Common Compulsions
- Washing
- Repeating
- Checking
- Touching
- Counting
- Ordering/arranging
- Hoarding
- Praying
