OCD

• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder with two main components - obsessions and compulsions
• Obsessions - reoccurring and persistent thoughts
• Compulsions - repetitive behaviours
• 70 % of OCD sufferers experience both obsessions and compulsions
• 20 % of OCD sufferers experience just obsessions
• 10 % of OCD sufferers experience just compulsions
• Behavioural characteristics of OCD - repetitive compulsions used to manage or reduce anxiety. Eg a fear of germs and bacteria causes excessive handwashing
• Emotional characteristics of OCD - anxiety and depression due to the obsessions and persistent / forbidden thoughts. Also a low mood and loss of pleasure in every day activities due to interruption from obsessive thoughts and repetitive compulsions
• Cognitive characteristics of OCD - obsessive thoughts and selective attention directed towards the anxiety generating stimuli