Recognizing Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)Symptoms . It’s normal to occasionally double-check that an iron is unplugged or your car is locked. But if you suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors become so excessive they interfere with your daily life. These treatment and self-help strategies can help you take back control of your life. What is OCD? Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by uncontrollable, unwanted thoughts and repetitive, ritualized behaviors you feel compelled to perform. If you have OCD, you probably recognize that your obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors are irrational—but even so, you feel unable to resist them and break free. Like a needle getting stuck on an old record, OCD causes the brain to get stuck on a particular thought or urge. You may check the stove twenty times to make sure it’s really turned off, wash your hands until they’re scrubbed raw, or drive around for hours to make sure that the bump you heard while driving wasn’t a person you ran over. Understanding OCD obsessions and compulsions Obsessions are involuntary, seemingly uncontrollable thoughts, images, or impulses that occur over and over again in your mind. You don’t want to have these ideas but you can’t stop them. These obsessive thoughts are often disturbing and distracting. Compulsions are behaviors or rituals that you feel driven to act out again and again. Usually, compulsions are performed in an attempt to make obsessions go away. For example, if you’re afraid of contamination, you might develop elaborate cleaning rituals. However, the relief never lasts. In fact, the obsessive thoughts usually come back stronger and the compulsive behaviors often end up causing anxiety themselves as they become more demanding and time-consuming.