About OCD

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) features a pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead you to do repetitive behaviors (compulsions). These obsessions and compulsions interfere with daily activities and cause significant distress. You may try to ignore or stop your obsessions, but that only increases your distress and anxiety. Ultimately, you feel driven to perform compulsive acts to try to ease your stress. Despite efforts to ignore or get rid of bothersome thoughts or urges, they keep coming back. This leads to more ritualistic behavior -the vicious cycle of OCD.

Obsession Symptoms

OCD obsessions are repeated, persistent and unwanted thoughts, urges or images that are intrusive and cause distress or anxiety. You might try to ignore them or get rid of them by performing a compulsive behavior or ritual. These obsessions typically intrude when you are trying to think of or do other things.

Obsessions often have themes to them:

Fear of contamination or dirt.
Doubting and having difficulty tolerating uncertainty.
Needing things orderly and symmetrical.
Aggressive or horrific thoughts about losing control and harming yourself or others.
Unwanted thoughts, including aggression, or sexual or religious subjects.

Examples of Obsession Signs and Symptoms Include:

Fidgets with or taps hands or feet, or squirms in seat.
Not able to stay seated (in classroom, workplace).
Runs about or climbs where it is inappropriate.
Unable to play or do leisure activities quietly.
Always “on the go,” as if driven by a motor.
Talks too much.
Blurts out an answer before a question has been finished (for instance may finish people’s sentences, cannot wait to speak in conversations).
Has difficulty waiting his or her turn, such as while waiting in line.
Interrupts or intrudes on others (for instance, cuts into conversations, games or activities, or starts using other people’s things without permission). Older teens and adults may take over what others are doing.

Compulsion Symptoms

OCD compulsions are repetitive behaviors that you feel driven to perform. These repetitive behaviors or mental acts are meant to reduce anxiety related to your obsessions or prevent something bad from happening. However, engaging in the compulsions brings no pleasure and may offer only a temporary
relief from anxiety. You may make up rules or rituals to follow that help control your anxiety when you are having obsessive thoughts. These compulsions are excessive and often are not realistically related to the problem the are intended to fix.

As with obsessions, compulsions typically have themes:

Examples of Compulsion Signs and Symptoms include:

Handwashing until your skin becomes raw
Checking doors repeatedly to make sure they are locked
Checking the stove repeatedly to make sure it is off
Counting in certain patterns
Silently repeating a prayer, word or phrase
Arranging your canned goods to face the same way

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