what is ocd?

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental health disorder that consists of a cycle of obsessions and compulsions. The obsessions or compulsions are time-consuming (e.g., take more than 1 hour per day) or cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

Obsessions are as defined as:

1. Recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images, experienced as intrusive/unwanted, and cause marked anxiety or distress

2. There are attempts to ignore or suppress thoughts/urges/images or attempts to neutralize them with some other thought or action (i.e., compulsion)

Compulsions are defined as:

1. Repetitive behaviors (e.g., hand washing, checking) or mental acts (e.g. repeating words silently) performed in response to an obsession or according to rules

2. Behaviors/mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing anxiety or distress or preventing some feared event or situation; but not really connected with what they are designed to prevent, or are excessive

Common Obsession Themes:

• Aggression

• Contamination

• Symmetry concerns

• Sexual

• Religious

• Somatic

Common Compulsions:

• Checking

• Cleaning

• Ordering

• Counting

• Repeating