characteristics

• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

  Obsessions are persistent and intrusive thoughts. They may be inappropriate ideas which aren’t based on reality e.g. convinced germs are everywhere

  Compulsions are repetitive behaviours carried out to reduce the distress caused by the obsessive thoughts e.g. hand washing
• OCD - key facts

  • Occurs in about 2% of the population.
  • Equal in men and women.
  • In men, tends to begin earlier (often in childhood), with a gradual onset and more severe symptoms.
  • In women, tends to have a later but more sudden onset, with fewer severe symptoms.
• OCD diagnosis 


  • Obsessions and/or compulsions must be present on most days for at least 2 successive weeks
  • This must be a source of distress for the sufferer and interfere with daily activities. 
• the cycle of OCD

  • Obsessive thoughts are unpleasant and create anxiety
  • The anxiety can be reduced by carrying out certain (compulsive) behaviours e.g. repetitive hand washing
  • This is carried out as a response to the obsessive thought e.g. fear of germs
  • The compulsion is a short term solution which offers relief but does not reduce the intrusive thoughts

  
• • Sufferers feel they must perform the compulsion otherwise something dreadful will happen to them. This creates anxiety.
  • Compulsive behaviours are repetitive and may be mental acts e.g. counting
  • Compulsive behaviours are performed to reduce the anxiety created by the obsessive thoughts.
• • emotional characteristics of OCD
  • Sufferers are aware that their behaviour is excessive and this causes them embarrassment and shame
  • Obsessive thoughts can often make the sufferer feel disgust e.g. obsessive concerns about germs
  • Obsessive thoughts are unpleasant and frightening and the anxiety that goes with these can be overwhelming
• cognitive characteristics of OCD

  • Obsessions are recurrent and intrusive thoughts that may be seen as inappropriate.
  • Obsessions are uncontrollable and the nature of them vary from person to person
  • The sufferer recognises that these thoughts are a product of their own mind (rather than thoughts being inserted by someone else, which can be the case in schizophrenia)