What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
According to the international OCD foundation, Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder that affects people of all ages and walks of life, and occurs when a person gets caught in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that trigger intensely distressing feelings. Compulsions are behaviors an individual engages in to attempt to get rid of the obsessions and/or decrease his or her distress.
Obsessions are thoughts, images or impulses that occur over and over again and feel outside of the person’s control. Individuals with OCD do not want to have these thoughts and find them disturbing. In most cases, people with OCD realize that these thoughts don’t make any sense. Obsessions are typically accompanied by intense and uncomfortable feelings such as fear, disgust, doubt, or a feeling that things have to be done in a way that is “just right.” In the context of OCD, obsessions are time consuming and get in the way of important activities the person values. This last part is extremely important to keep in mind as it, in part, determines whether someone has OCD — a psychological disorder — rather than an obsessive personality trait.
Common Obsessions in OCD
Contamination
Body fluids (examples: urine, feces)
Germs/disease (examples: herpes, HIV)
Environmental contaminants (examples: asbestos, radiation)
Household chemicals (examples: cleaners, solvents)
Dirt
Losing Control
Fear of acting on an impulse to harm oneself
Fear of acting on an impulse to harm others
Fear of violent or horrific images in one’s mind
Fear of blurting out obscenities or insults
Fear of stealing things
Harm
Fear of being responsible for something terrible happening (examples: fire, burglary)
Fear of harming others because of not being careful enough (example: dropping something on the ground that might cause someone to slip and hurt him/herself)
Obsessions Related to Perfectionism
Concern about evenness or exactness
Concern with a need to know or remember
Fear of losing or forgetting important information when throwing something out
Inability to decide whether to keep or to discard things
Fear of losing things
Unwanted Sexual Thoughts
Forbidden or perverse sexual thoughts or images
Forbidden or perverse sexual impulses about others
Sexual obsessions that involve children or incest
Obsessions about aggressive sexual behavior towards others
Religious Obsessions (Scrupulosity)
Concern with offending God, or concern about blasphemy
Excessive concern with right/wrong or morality
Other Obsessions
Obsessions about one’s sexual orientation.
Concern with getting a physical illness or disease (not by contamination, e.g. cancer)
Superstitious ideas about lucky/unlucky numbers certain colors
Compulsions are the second part of obsessive compulsive disorder. These are repetitive behaviors or thoughts that a person uses with the intention of neutralizing, counteracting, or making their obsessions go away. People with OCD realize this is only a temporary solution but without a better way to cope they rely on the compulsion as a temporary escape. Compulsions can also include avoiding situations that trigger obsessions. Compulsions are time consuming and get in the way of important activities the person values.
Common Compulsions in OCD
Washing and Cleaning
Washing hands excessively or in a certain way
Excessive showering, bathing, tooth-brushing, grooming ,or toilet routines
Cleaning household items or other objects excessively
Doing other things to prevent or remove contact with contaminants
Checking
Checking that you did not/will not harm others
Checking that you did not/will not harm yourself
Checking that nothing terrible happened
Checking that you did not make a mistake
Checking some parts of your physical condition or body
Repeating
Rereading or rewriting
Repeating routine activities (examples: going in or out doors, getting up or down from chairs)
Repeating body movements (example: tapping, touching, blinking)
Repeating activities in “multiples” (examples: doing a task three times because three is a “good,” “right,” “safe” number)
Mental Compulsions
Mental review of events to prevent harm (to oneself others, to prevent terrible consequences)
Praying to prevent harm (to oneself others, to prevent terrible consequences)
Counting while performing a task to end on a “good,” “right,” or “safe” number
“Cancelling” or “Undoing” (example: replacing a “bad” word with a “good” word to cancel it out)
Other Compulsions
Putting things in order or arranging things until it “feels right”
Telling asking or confessing to get reassurance
Avoiding situations that might trigger your obsessions