Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by persistent negative thoughts and actions to relive said thoughts. Obsessions are repeated, persistent and unwanted urges or images that cause distress or anxiety. These thoughts are hard to stop.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by persistent negative thoughts and actions to relive said thoughts.
Obsessions are repeated, persistent and unwanted urges or images that cause distress or anxiety. These thoughts are hard to stop. Here are some categories of obsessions:
· Fear of contamination or dirt
· Having things orderly and symmetrical
· Aggressive or horrific thoughts about harming yourself or others
· Unwanted thoughts, including aggression, or sexual or religious subjects
Examples of obsession signs and symptoms include:
· Fear of being contaminated by shaking hands or by touching objects others have touched
· Doubts that you've locked the door or turned off the stove
· Intense stress when objects aren't orderly or facing a certain way
· Images of hurting yourself or someone else
· Thoughts about shouting obscenities or acting inappropriately
· Avoidance of situations that can trigger obsessions, such as shaking hands
· Distress about unpleasant sexual images repeating in your mind
Compulsions are the things one does to relieve the thoughts. However, engaging in the compulsions brings no pleasure and may offer only a temporary relief from anxiety.
As with obsessions, compulsions typically have categories:
· Washing and cleaning
· Counting
· Checking
· Demanding reassurances
· Following a strict routine
· Orderliness
Examples of compulsion signs and symptoms include:
· Hand-washing until your skin becomes raw
· Checking doors repeatedly to make sure they're locked
· Checking the stove repeatedly to make sure it's off
· Counting in certain patterns
· Silently repeating a prayer, word or phrase
· Arranging your canned goods to face the same way

Symptoms usually begin gradually and tend to vary in severity throughout your life. Symptoms generally worsen when you're experiencing more stress. OCD, considered a lifelong disorder, can be so severe and time-consuming that it becomes disabling.