​Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) involves “obsessions” (recurrent and unwanted thoughts, impulses, or images that cause anxiety or distress), “compulsions” (repetitive behaviors or mental acts that a person feels driven to do in order to reduce distress or avoid some feared event or situation), or both.  Typical obsessions include fears of being contaminated by germs or poison, fears of causing harm to oneself or others, and fears of committing some unacceptable action.  Typical compulsions include excessive washing, cleaning, checking, reassurance-seeking, hoarding, and insisting that things be done in a specific order or pattern.  OCD thoughts and behaviors are senseless, repetitive, distressing, and sometimes harmful, but they are also very difficult to control or overcome. ​