OCD Characteristics

• OCD is classed as an anxiety disorder. Prevalence is 1.3% in the UK
• Obsessions – these are persistent and recurrent thoughts or impulses which cause anxiety
• Compulsions – these are repetitive behaviours or mental acts that the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession. Carrying out the compulsion usually lowers the anxiety caused by the obsession.
• For example, fear of germs or contamination (the obsession) might be accompanied by excessive and ritualistic washing and cleanliness behaviour (the compulsion)
• Emotional characteristics

  • Obsessions and compulsions are a source of anxiety and stress
  • Sufferers are aware that their behaviour is excessive and this causes feelings of embarrassment and shame
• Cognitive characteristics

  • Obsessions are the cognitive characteristic - recurrent, intrusive thoughts or impulses. May be frightening or embarrassing.
  • Uncontrollable and excessive worries
  • The person recognises that the obsessions are a products of their own mind and unreasonable.
• Behavioural characteristics

  • Compulsions are the behavioural characteristic - performed to reduce anxiety created by obsessions - repetitive and can be acts like hand washing, checking and counting
  • Patients feel that they must perform these actions otherwise something dreadful might happen
  • Sometimes the behaviours are not connected in a realistic way to what they are trying to prevent, e.g. turns the lights on and off a set number of times to avoid disastrous things happening.