About Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. It is characterized by obsessions (which cause marked anxiety or distress) and/or by compulsions (which serve to neutralize anxiety).

People with OCD have either obsessions or compulsions, or both.

OBSESSIONS are recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses or images that are experienced as intrusive and inappropriate and cause marked anxiety or distress. Some common obsessions include unrealistic fears of being contaminated or contaminating others, being harmed or harming others, losing things, intrusive violent or horrific images, unwanted sexual thoughts, or a need for symmetry, completeness or perfection. Obsessions can include feared outcomes that are not possible, e.g., changing into another person or becoming infected with HIV by wearing the color red.

COMPULSIONS are repetitive behaviors or mental acts, aimed at preventing or reducing distress or preventing some dreaded event or situation. A person feels driven to perform these acts in response to an obsession or according to a set of rigid rules. Common compulsions include rereading, rewriting, checking, cleaning and washing, excessive grooming, counting, ordering, mental tracing, mental prayers or mantras, reassurance seeking, touching or tapping.

Compulsions may also be complex rituals with multiple behaviors and can be very time-consuming.

Signs of OCD

Even though most sufferers attempt to hide their symptoms, some common indicators that OCD may be present include:

  • high levels of anxiety or panic
  • repetitive questions or other reassurance-seeking, repetitive behaviors
  • avoidance of certain places, situations,
  • activities or objects.

OCD sufferers can have compulsions that are not observable such as compulsions performed mentally or avoidance rituals. This sometimes leads to misdiagnosis or delays in treatment. These persons who are mainly obsessional are sometimes misdiagnosed as depressed or psychotic.