Introduction
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that causes people to have unwanted thoughts, images or urges. These thoughts are then acted upon by compulsions. Compulsions may include mental acts such as counting, thinking about a specific word or phrase, praying over and over or repeatedly checking things to reduce distress. A person with OCD has unwanted thoughts that cause them to repeat certain behaviors over and over again in order to get rid of the obsessive thoughts or decrease their distress level.
Symptoms of OCD include:
Obsessions and compulsions are the two main symptoms of OCD. Obsessions are thoughts, impulses or images that cause anxiety to develop. Compulsions can be either mental or behavioral and are repeated behaviors performed to ease the anxiety caused by an obsession.
OCD causes anxiety and distress in many areas of life such as work, relationships and personal safety like driving a car or doing household chores. It can also affect your ability to function at school or college because you’re spending so much time worrying about things that could go wrong during class time (e.g., having a panic attack).
Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images or urges that trigger intensely distressing feelings.
Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts that trigger intensely distressing feelings. They can be violent, sexual, religious or blasphemous in nature. The person may then have a compulsion to engage in the behavior that they believe will prevent the feared outcome from occurring.
Obsessions can also be disturbing images or thoughts about harm coming to loved ones such as your parents or children – even if it is only imagined by you!
Another common obsession is contamination by germs such as bacteria on hands or surfaces; you may wash them compulsively until all traces of these “contaminants” are gone from your body or environment
Compulsions are behaviors an individual engages in to attempt to get rid of the obsessions and/or decrease his or her distress.
Compulsions are behaviors an individual engages in to attempt to get rid of the obsessions and/or decrease his or her distress. Compulsions can include mental acts such as counting, thinking about a specific word or phrase, praying over and over or repeatedly checking things to reduce distress.
There are many different types of OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) symptoms that people experience when they have this disorder. Some common symptoms include:
Compulsions can also include mental acts such as counting, thinking about a specific word or phrase, praying over and over or repeatedly checking things to reduce distress.
- Mental compulsions are behaviors you perform as a way to reduce anxiety. For example, you might count or repeat certain words or phrases over and over in an effort to stop your thoughts from running wild.
- Physical compulsions are behaviors you do in order to relieve physical discomfort or tension. For example, washing your hands repeatedly because the thought of touching something makes them feel unclean (as opposed to the act itself).
A person with OCD has unwanted thoughts that cause him or her to repeat certain behaviors.
OCD is a mental disorder. It affects 1 in 50 people and is a chronic condition that requires treatment. The OCD symptoms include persistent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions).
OCD isn’t a character flaw or something you do because you’re weak or lazy; it’s an illness caused by brain chemistry and genetics, not by moral choices made by the person suffering from it. It’s important to understand that while some people with OCD may have strong moral values, this doesn’t mean they have OCPD—it only means those individuals are more likely than others to experience obsessions related to religion or politics.*
Conclusion
OCD is a serious condition that can be debilitating, but it’s also treatable. With proper treatment, most people with OCD will find their life back on track and have increased self-esteem. In some cases, medication may be necessary to reduce the frequency or severity of symptoms. It’s important for anyone who thinks they may have OCD or who has a loved one with this condition to seek professional help as soon as possible so they can start living again!
