Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Do you…
- Wash your hands repeatedly?
- Spend a large amount of time constantly checking things?
- Feel that you have to do things in a specific order?
- Repeatedly count things up to a certain number?
- Have repetitive thoughts you find upsetting?
- Avoid certain situations because you fear you may do something bad?
What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
If you struggle with OCD, you may experience frequent obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours.
An obsession is a persistent unwanted and unpleasant thought, image or urge that invades your mind, causing feelings of anxiety, disgust or unease.
A compulsion is a repetitive behaviour or mental act that you feel you need to do to temporarily relieve the unpleasant feelings brought about by the obsessive thought, such as checking or cleaning something repeatedly.
Symptoms of OCD can include:
- Repetitive behaviours, such as hand washing, cleaning, checking or counting.
- Repetitive mental acts, such as praying or repeating words silently.
- Recurrent intrusive thoughts, urges or mental pictures that may not make sense and could lead to anxiety and distress.
Your symptoms may take up a lot of your time and attention and cause you (and perhaps others around you) to feel stressed and unhappy. These symptoms can also limit what you can do in your life.
