OCD

• OCD

  • OCD is an anxiety disorder characterized by either obsessions and/or compulsions.
• Obsessions

  • Obsessions are recurrent and persistent thoughts that are intrusive, unwanted, and cause anxiety and distress.
  • Individuals try to suppress the thoughts or neutralize them with some other thought or action.
• Compulsions

  • Compulsions are repetitive behaviors (e.g. checking) or mental acts (e.g. counting) in response to an obsession.
  • These behaviors are designed to reduce anxiety or prevent a dreadful event from occurring, and they are excessive and can be unrealistic.
• Cognitive Characteristics of Obsessions

  Recurrent and Persistent Thoughts

  • Experience repeated obsessive thoughts, unwanted images and ideas of intrusive nature which cause distress.

  Insight into Excessive Anxiety

  • Sufferers are aware that their obsessions and compulsions aren't rational which is necessary for diagnosis.

  Catastrophic Thoughts

  • about worst-case scenarios that might result if their anxieties were justified.
• Behavioural Characteristics of Compulsions

  • Repetitive Behaviours: Sufferers feel compelled to repeat actions in response to obsessive thoughts, such as hand washing, counting, praying, and tidying.

  
  

  • Compulsions Reduce Anxiety: Behaviors and mental acts aim to prevent distress caused by obsessions, like compulsive checking to prevent imagined disasters, despite being unable to realistically prevent them.
• Emotional Characteristics

  • Anxiety and Distress: Obsessive thoughts induce overwhelming anxiety, demanding compulsive behaviors to prevent it.
  • Guilt: OCD often involves irrational guilt, eg minor moral concerns and the fear of consequences causing feelings of guilt.