There are many different types of obsessions and compulsions. But most of them can be grouped into four categories: checking, order and symmetry, contamination, and taboo thoughts.
Read on to learn more about the most common types of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment.
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What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common, long-lasting mental health condition that involves disruptive, unwanted obsessions and compulsions.
Obsessions refer to thoughts, worries, urges, preoccupations, or mental images that are persistent, disruptive, and intrusive. Common examples include:
- Fears of contamination, illness, or germs
- Extreme worries about organization, symmetry, or cleanliness
- Fear of losing or forgetting something
- Repetitive doubts or questions
- Violent or aggressive imagery or impulses
- Distressing sexual imagery or thoughts
- Religious/blasphemous thoughts
Compulsions refer to behaviors or rituals that people feel driven to repeat over and over. Usually, people participate in compulsive acts to reduce their distress about a recurring obsession. Examples may include:
- Excessive handwashing
- Repeatedly cleaning, arranging, or organizing
- Checking locks, appliances (such as the oven), or switches over and over
- Repeating certain phrases, words, or numbers
- Requesting reassurance
- Counting
- Tapping
- Praying
How Common Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
Estimates suggest that about 1.2% of adults in the U.S. meet the diagnostic criteria for OCD in a given year. OCD is more common among women than men.
Symptoms of OCD
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), someone meets the diagnostic criteria for OCD if:
- They have at least one obsession or compulsion that is time-consuming, causes significant emotional distress and interferes with their daily functioning.
- They feel powerless to suppress the urge to think about their obsessions or perform their compulsion.
- Their obsessions and/or compulsions are not primarily caused by another condition, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or an eating disorder.
Some people with OCD are not aware that their obsessions are excessive. Others know that their worries or impulses are not based on reality, but they still feel unable to control them.
Different Types of OCD
There is no single official way to divide OCD into subtypes. However, many researchers agree that there are certain common themes and symptom clusters among people with OCD.
Checking
One of the most common symptoms of OCD is compulsive checking. People with “checking OCD” may excessively check that their appliances are turned off, that their doors and windows are locked, or that they haven’t lost, damaged, or misplaced something important.
Checking rituals can also be related to excessive doubts and anxieties and a fear of losing control. There is often the fear of intentionally or unintentionally causing something bad to happen. For example, someone with OCD may not be able to leave the house for over an hour due to repeatedly checking the stove.
Order and Symmetry
Many people with OCD experience obsessions and compulsions related to order, symmetry, arranging, and counting. Symmetry-related compulsive rituals may involve lining things up over and over, constantly rearranging furniture to make it look “just right,” or repeatedly counting items to ensure they’re divided into equal groups.
Someone with an irrational preference for order may also become overly preoccupied with their body proportions and/or grooming habits, which can lead to disordered eating and poor self-image. Others feel compelled to perform excessive scheduling, planning, time management, and organizing rituals.
Contamination
Fear of contamination is one of the most common obsessive themes among people with OCD. People who fear germs and/or contamination may clean surfaces or wash their hands compulsively, worry excessively about ingredients in food or household products, and even avoid touching things others have touched.
Some people with OCD also experience a fear of emotional contamination. Someone who fears emotional contamination may go out of their way to avoid people, places, or topics they see as “immoral” or “dirty.”
Ruminations or Intrusive Thoughts
Rumination refers to obsessive, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts around a certain theme. Rumination frequently involves taboo or forbidden topics, such as sexuality, violence, or religion.
Intrusive thoughts can take on many forms. Some people with OCD ruminate obsessively about their sexual orientation or constantly question their religious identity.
They may constantly worry that they will cheat on their partner, hurt themselves or someone else, or be sexually predatory, even in the absence of any evidence. Others experience intrusive, graphic sexual or violent mental imagery that they consider inappropriate or disturbing.
Often, rumination is related to an underlying obsession with guilt and excessive responsibility for harm. People who experience intrusive thoughts may perform compulsive rituals in an attempt to “neutralize” the perceived threat.
For example, someone who has forbidden thoughts around religion or blasphemy may pray excessively to protect themselves or others spiritually. Someone else may count, tap, or repeat certain movements or phrases because they believe it will save someone they love from harm.
What Is Existential OCD?
Other OCD Subtypes
Researchers have identified several other possible OCD subtypes, including:
- Hoarding: Hoarding disorder is now a distinct diagnosis in the DSM-5. Hoarding refers to the compulsive, excessive collection of worthless or trivial items, often resulting in extreme clutter and disorganization. Some people with OCD hoard items that are related to an underlying obsession or fear.
- Somatic obsessions: Somatic obsessions refer to preoccupation with body parts, body functions, and/or illness. For example, someone with OCD who experiences somatic obsessions may hyperfocus on the way they breathe or swallow or monitor themselves for signs of illness.
- Pure OCD: Some researchers refer to OCD that involves only thought-based obsessions, with no behavioral or compulsive component, as “pure OCD.”
- OCD with obsessive slowness: Some people with OCD are highly prone to perfectionism. In some instances, their fear of failure may lead them to take excessive time to complete a task to ensure it’s done “just right.”
Causes and Risk Factors
There is no single known cause of OCD. Instead, researchers believe that many factors contribute to the development of OCD, including:
- Genetics: According to twin and family studies, OCD is often inherited. Having a sibling, parent, or child with OCD increases your risk of developing the disorder.
- Life events: Stressful and/or traumatic life events may trigger the onset of OCD, especially in people who are already genetically predisposed to the disorder.
- Brain structure: Studies suggest that certain differences in brain structure and function, such as hyperactivity in the orbitofrontal cortex (which helps manage emotions and decision-making), may influence the development of OCD symptoms.
- Comorbid conditions: Many people with OCD have other mental health conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and anxiety.
Age and sex may also play a role in the onset and development of OCD. OCD is usually diagnosed before the age of 25, with many people first showing symptoms during childhood or adolescence. It’s rare (though not impossible) for someone to be diagnosed with the disorder after the age of 35.
Meanwhile, studies suggest that women are approximately 1.6 times likelier than men to develop OCD during their lifetime.
OCD and Comorbidity
It’s common for people with OCD to have more than one mental health condition. A 2021 review and meta-analysis found that 69% of people with OCD had at least one other mental illness over the course of their lifetime.
Diagnosis and Tests
If you suspect you may have OCD, your healthcare provider can refer you to a mental health therapist. They can diagnose you with OCD using your medical history, an understanding of your symptoms, and the criteria in the DSM-5.
Your healthcare provider may also perform a physical exam and other tests to rule out the possibility of any underlying physical conditions or comorbid mental health disorders.
Related Conditions
In the DSM-5, OCD appears under the category of “obsessive compulsive and related disorders.” OCD-related conditions within this umbrella category include:
- Hoarding disorder: While hoarding is sometimes a symptom of OCD, hoarding disorder can also be diagnosed and treated as a distinct mental health condition. People with hoarding disorder have extreme difficulties in discarding items and controlling their impulses to collect items—even when their collections negatively affect their relationships, safety, health, and/or finances.
- Skin picking disorder: People with skin picking disorder, also known as excoriation disorder or dermatillomania, pick at their skin persistently. Harmful effects may include skin lesions, emotional distress, and social isolation.
- Trichotillomania: People with trichotillomania experience hair loss, emotional distress, difficulties with self-image, and poor self-esteem due to a persistent, uncontrollable impulse to pull or pluck out their hair.
- Body dysmorphic disorder: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) involves an overwhelming preoccupation with one’s body and looks. People with BDD often spend a great deal of time, money, and energy to improve or “fix” their appearance.
Other conditions that are sometimes mistaken for OCD or may appear alongside it include:
- Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is a mental condition that involves rigidity in thinking and behavior, excessive devotion to rules and perfectionism, and a preoccupation with maintaining control. OCD shares some symptoms with OCPD, but they are different conditions.
- Anorexia nervosa: Certain eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa (AN), are often comorbid with OCD. Some research suggests that about 35% to 44% of patients with AN also meet the diagnostic criteria for OCD. Meanwhile, about 10% of female patients with OCD also have AN.
- Tourette syndrome: Tourette syndrome (TS) is a nervous system disorder that causes involuntary tics (repeated movements, sounds, and/or twitches). OCD and TS are related and often comorbid, especially in children and adolescents. About 60% of people with TS also meet the diagnostic criteria for OCD, and up to half of the children with OCD have experienced tics at some point.
OCD vs. OCPD: What Are the Differences?
How OCD Is Treated
Many people with OCD experience improvements with treatment. Studies suggest that about 50% of people with OCD will experience full remission of their symptoms after treatment. Many others are able to significantly improve their quality of life over time.
Psychotherapy is the typical first-line treatment for OCD. Many people with OCD benefit from a particular type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) known as exposure and response prevention (EX/RP) therapy. In EX/RP therapy, patients gradually learn to confront their obsessions (exposure) while resisting the urge to perform compulsions in response (response prevention).
In some cases, antidepressants may be used in combination with psychotherapy to ease OCD symptoms. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)—antidepressants that work to increase the level of serotonin in the brain—have been found to be especially effective in treating people with OCD, particularly at higher dosage.
What Is Serotonin?
Serotonin, or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a neurotransmitter—a chemical messenger—in the central nervous system that helps to regulate mood, emotions, memory, pain tolerance, sleep, appetite, and sexual desire.
What Is Exposure Therapy?
Summary
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic mental disorder that involves obsessions (intrusive, persistent, and unwanted thoughts or worries), compulsions (rituals or behaviors that one feels driven to repeat), or both.
There is no single known cause of OCD. Multiple factors, including genetics, trauma, and differences in brain structure, may contribute to the development of the condition.
Researchers have identified several common subtypes of OCD. OCD symptoms often fall into one of four clusters: checking, order/symmetry, germs/contamination, or rumination/intrusive thoughts. Other subtypes of OCD include hoarding and somatic obsessions.
OCD can be diagnosed by a mental health therapist using the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5). It is typically treated with antidepressants, psychotherapy, or both.
A Word From Verywell
Many people feel nervous to talk about their obsessions and compulsions with a healthcare provider. However, OCD is common, treatable, and manageable. If you think you may have OCD, talk to your healthcare provider about seeing a specialist to address your symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many types of OCD are there?
There is no single agreed-upon list of OCD subtypes. However, many researchers agree that OCD obsessions and related compulsions often fall into five main clusters. These symptom clusters include contamination, ordering and symmetry, rumination (including over-responsibility for harm, illness anxiety, and persistent doubts), taboo impulses and imagery (such as violent and/or sexual images), and hoarding.
Are there different levels of OCD?
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) does not specify different levels of OCD severity. However, the DSM-5 does categorize OCD according to the patient’s level of insight.
A person with OCD who has good or fair insight knows that their obsessions are not based on reality, while someone with poor insight thinks their obsessive beliefs are probably true. Meanwhile, a person with absent insight is entirely convinced that their beliefs are true.
(Video) The Different Subtypes of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) | Dr. Rami NaderIs OCD an anxiety disorder?
OCD was previously categorized as an anxiety disorder. However, in 2013, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) moved OCD out of that category and placed it under the umbrella of “obsessive compulsive and related disorders.” Other OCD-related disorders include hoarding disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, trichotillomania, and skin picking disorder.
Can perfectionism be considered a form of OCD?
On its own, the trait of perfectionism is not a form of OCD. However, research suggests that perfectionism is common among people with OCD.
A 2019 study found that children and adolescents who exhibited a tendency towards perfectionism were more likely to develop severe OCD symptoms and to meet the diagnostic criteria for OCD.
FAQs
What are 10 types of OCD? ›
- Aggressive or sexual thoughts. ...
- Harm to loved ones. ...
- Germs and contamination. ...
- Doubt and incompleteness. ...
- Sin, religion, and morality. ...
- Order and symmetry. ...
- Self-control.
- cleaning and hand washing.
- checking – such as checking doors are locked or that the gas is off.
- counting.
- ordering and arranging.
- hoarding.
- asking for reassurance.
- repeating words in their head.
- thinking "neutralising" thoughts to counter the obsessive thoughts.
- Fear of contamination or dirt.
- Doubting and having difficulty tolerating uncertainty.
- Needing things orderly and symmetrical.
- Aggressive or horrific thoughts about losing control and harming yourself or others.
- Unwanted thoughts, including aggression, or sexual or religious subjects.
OCD can manifest in four main ways: contamination/washing, doubt/checking, ordering/arranging, and unacceptable/taboo thoughts. Obsessions and compulsions that revolve about contamination and germs are the most common type of OCD, but OCD can cover a wide range of topics.
What are rare types of OCD? ›- Relationship Obsessions.
- Somatic (Body-Focused) Obsessions.
- Existential Obsessions.
- Need to Know Obsessions.
If you have OCD, you'll usually experience frequent obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours. An obsession is an unwanted and unpleasant thought, image or urge that repeatedly enters your mind, causing feelings of anxiety, disgust or unease.
What physical symptoms can OCD cause? ›While people often talk about the emotional and mental effects of OCD, its physical effects are often left out of the discussion. Compulsions like handwashing can physically hurt your hands, self-soothing behaviors like hair-pulling can harm your skin, and studies have also linked OCD with chronic pain.
What does undiagnosed OCD look like? ›Signs and symptoms of OCD
Obsessive thoughts: These obsession symptoms typically intrude other thoughts when you're trying to do or think about other things and may include: Fear of being contaminated by germs or dirt. Intrusive sexually explicit or violent thoughts. Fear of having a serious illness.
- 1) The thought of hurting a baby or child. ...
- 2) Thoughts of doing something violent or illegal. ...
- 3) Thoughts that cause doubt. ...
- 4) Unexpected reminders about painful past events. ...
- 5) Worries about catching germs or a serious illness. ...
- 6) Concern you might do something embarrassing.
Obsessional symptoms or compulsive acts or both must be present on most days for at least 2 successive weeks and be a source of distress or interference with activities.
How long do OCD symptoms have to be present? ›
International Classification of Diseases and OCD
For a definite diagnosis, obsessional symptoms or compulsive acts, or both, must be present on most days for at least two successive weeks and be a source of distress or interference with activities.
Because obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is more often characterized as a mental illness rather than physical, it can make getting disability approval more complicated. Your insurance company may limit or deny you your benefits unless you're able to prove a physiological cause for your condition.
What mental illness is similar to OCD? ›These include the obsessive preoccupations and repetitive behaviors found in body dysmorphic disorder, hypochondriasis, Tourette syndrome, Parkinson's disease, catatonia, autism, and in some individuals with eating disorders (eg, anorexia nervosa).
What is somatic OCD? ›Somatic OCD is a form of OCD that causes intrusive thoughts are focused on autonomic, or non-conscious body processes and functions, like breathing, blinking, or physical sensations.
What is daily life like for someone with OCD? ›OCD can make it difficult for people to perform everyday activities like eating, drinking, shopping or reading. Some people may become housebound. OCD is often compounded by depression and other anxiety disorders, including social anxiety, panic disorder and separation anxiety.
What is the root cause of OCD? ›Experts aren't sure of the exact cause of OCD. Genetics, brain abnormalities, and the environment are thought to play a role. It often starts in the teens or early adulthood. But, it can also start in childhood.
Where is OCD most commonly found? ›Industrial and population juggernaut China reports a higher percentage of OCD compared to the global average, with 1.63% of the population facing the disorder.
What kind of OCD is list making? ›List-making would be considered a compulsion because the list reassures the person with OCD and helps them to feel temporarily better, thus they never learn that they do not need the list to remember things.
What is a mild form of OCD? ›In the cases of mild OCD, the intrusive thoughts are not time-consuming in a significant way (at least, at first glance). Or maybe, even though the person is troubled by the thoughts, they do not notably impair his or her daily functioning.
What is false memory OCD? ›False Memory OCD refers to a cluster of OCD presentations wherein the sufferer becomes concerned about a thought that appears to relate to a past event. The event can be something that actually happened (but over which there is some confusion) or it can be something completely fabricated by the mind.
What emotion is frequently linked to OCD? ›
Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often experience aversive emotions such as anxiety, fear and disgust in response to obsessive thoughts, urges or images.
What are the two main symptoms of OCD? ›Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common, chronic, and long-lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts ("obsessions") and/or behaviors ("compulsions") that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over.
Does OCD have mood swings? ›Both people with bipolar disorder and OCD are likely to experience: changes in mood. elevated mood. anxiety.
Can OCD cause neurological symptoms? ›Once thought to be psychodynamic in origin, OCD is now generally recognized as having a neurobiological cause. Although the exact pathophysiology of OCD in its pure form remains unknown, there are numerous reports of obsessive-compulsive symptoms arising in the setting of known neurological disease.
What parts of the body does OCD affect? ›Imaging, surgical, and lesion studies suggest that the prefrontal cortex (orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate cortexes), basal ganglia, and thalamus are involved in the pathogenesis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
What happens to your body when you have OCD? ›OCD can lead to self-harm.
Ritualistic, compulsive behaviors may damage your body. Some OCD behaviors include pulling your own hair, picking at your skin until it bleeds, or vomiting food to avoid weight gain (bulimia). Even excessive hand washing can be harmful.
Diagnosis and Tests
There's no test for OCD. A healthcare provider makes the diagnosis after asking you about your symptoms and medical and mental health history. Providers use criteria explained in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-V) to diagnose OCD.
Only trained therapists can diagnose OCD. Therapists will look for three things: The person has obsessions. He or she does compulsive behaviors.
What happens if severe OCD is left untreated? ›Left untreated, OCD can lead to other severe mental health conditions, such as anxiety and panic attacks, and depression. Untreated mental health conditions are also a significant source of drug and alcohol addiction. People will often turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with the distress of an untreated mental disorder.
How do people with OCD act? ›Common compulsive behaviors in OCD include:
Counting, tapping, repeating certain words, or doing other senseless things to reduce anxiety. Spending a lot of time washing or cleaning. Ordering or arranging things “just so”. Praying excessively or engaging in rituals triggered by religious fear.
What are 3 examples of compulsive behaviors? ›
- Shopping.
- Hoarding.
- Eating.
- Gambling.
- Trichotillomania and skin picking.
- Checking, counting, washing, and repeating.
- Sexual behavior.
- Talking.
OCD often fixates around one or more themes. Some of the most common themes are contamination, harm, checking and perfection.
Can doctors tell if you have OCD? ›Some primary care physicians do diagnose OCD correctly. But in general, when people with OCD are able to get evaluated by a specialist experienced in OCD treatment, they're much more likely to receive an accurate diagnosis and empirically supported treatment– usually a combination of medications and ERP therapy.
How do I know if my OCD is mild or severe? ›The doctor rates obsessions and compulsions on a scale of 0 to 25 according to severity. A total score of 26 to 34 indicates moderate to severe symptoms and 35 and above indicates severe symptoms.
Can OCD manifest physical symptoms? ›Aside from the obvious compulsive behaviors a person with OCD displays, there are no physical signs of this disorder; however, a person with OCD can develop physical problems. For example, a person with a germ obsession may wash their hands so much that the skin on them becomes red, raw and painful.
Why do OCD symptoms come and go? ›While symptoms of an obsessive-compulsive thought style may fluctuate in intensity over time based on stress levels, a chronic or deteriorating course is common if you choose not to engage in appropriate treatment.
Can OCD symptoms come and go? ›Symptoms of OCD may come and go, ease over time, or worsen. People with OCD may try to help themselves by avoiding situations that trigger their obsessions, or they may use alcohol or drugs to calm themselves.
What does OCD onset look like? ›As you may already know, the symptoms of OCD include the following: Unwanted or upsetting doubts. Thoughts about harm, contamination, sex, religious themes, or health. Rituals like excessive washing, checking, praying, repeating routine activities.
Can you get money for having OCD? ›Qualifying for Disability Benefits Based on OCD
You may be able to qualify for Social Security disability benefits based on OCD if your condition is well documented and severely debilitating. OCD is evaluated by the Social Security Administration (SSA) as an anxiety-related disorder.
Can someone with OCD be eligible for benefits? If OCD is impacting a person's day-to-day life or making it difficult for them to work, then they may be eligible to claim benefits to help pay for living costs like food, rent, and childcare.
Is OCD psychotic or neurotic? ›
Psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, can cause delusions, hallucinations, and other symptoms of psychosis. Non-psychotic disorders, which used to be called neuroses, include depressive disorders and anxiety disorders like phobias, panic attacks, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Does OCD have psychotic features? ›Methods: From a total of 475 patients with DSM-III-R OCD evaluated and/or treated in an outpatient OCD clinic, 67 patients (14%) were identified as having psychotic symptoms in addition to OCD. Psychotic symptoms were defined as hallucinations, delusions, and/or thought disorder.
Is OCD a form of psychosis? ›While OCD is considered a mental health condition, psychosis is not. Psychosis describes a mental state in many other conditions, including OCD. While someone with OCD can experience psychosis, this does not mean that OCD is a psychotic disorder. This distinction is important to make, especially when seeking treatment.
What is magical thinking in OCD? ›Magical thinking within OCD consists of unreasonable and irrational thought patterns that are characterized by connecting actions and events that have no relation whatsoever.
What is ERP therapy for OCD? ›What Is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy? ERP therapy is a behavioral therapy that gradually exposes people to situations designed to provoke a person's obsessions in a safe environment. A hallmark of ERP is that is doesn't completely remove distressing situations and thoughts.
Is OCD a form of trauma? ›Not a few patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have experienced events that affected the onset. The onset of OCD is not limited to the original meaning of trauma; rather, traumatic experiences such as unexpected exposure to contaminants or various stressful life events often cause the onset of OCD.
How many types of OCD can a person have? ›You can absolutely have two or more different types of OCD. Some people only have one subtype, but it is definitely common for people to have more than one. Over time, the subtypes may change or stay the same.
What are the 3 main elements of OCD? ›Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is comprised of four distinct elements: obsessions, compulsions, avoidances, and distress. By understanding each of these elements, it is possible to more clearly understand the diagnosis and how it differs from routine worries and habits.
What type of personality is OCD? ›Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) involves an extensive preoccupation with perfectionism, organization and control. People with OCPD have rigid beliefs and need to have control of themselves, others and situations.
Does OCD show up on a brain scan? ›OCD was one of the first psychiatric disorders in brain scans showed evidence of abnormal brain activity in specific regions.
What is an OCD loop? ›
Put simply, the study suggests that the brains of OCD patients get stuck in a loop of “wrongness” that prevents sufferers from stopping behaviors even if they know they should.
Is OCD a chemical imbalance? ›Individuals with OCD often have certain chemical imbalances present in the brain. Changes in the neurochemicals serotonin, dopamine, and glutamate are normally present in OCD cases.
Can your type of OCD change? ›OCD often fixates around one or more themes. Some of the most common themes are contamination, harm, checking and perfection. People with OCD can have more than one subtype, and their subtype can change over time.
What part of the brain is damaged in OCD? ›Imaging, surgical, and lesion studies suggest that the prefrontal cortex (orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate cortexes), basal ganglia, and thalamus are involved in the pathogenesis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
What are examples of OCD intrusive thoughts? ›Fear of being contaminated by germs or dirt or contaminating others. Fear of losing control and harming yourself or others. Intrusive sexually explicit or violent thoughts and images. Excessive focus on religious or moral ideas.
What are examples of intrusive thoughts? ›- 1) The thought of hurting a baby or child. ...
- 2) Thoughts of doing something violent or illegal. ...
- 3) Thoughts that cause doubt. ...
- 4) Unexpected reminders about painful past events. ...
- 5) Worries about catching germs or a serious illness. ...
- 6) Concern you might do something embarrassing.
Once thought to be psychodynamic in origin, OCD is now generally recognized as having a neurobiological cause. Although the exact pathophysiology of OCD in its pure form remains unknown, there are numerous reports of obsessive-compulsive symptoms arising in the setting of known neurological disease.
What does OCD say about a person? ›Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common, chronic, and long-lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts ("obsessions") and/or behaviors ("compulsions") that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over.