OCD

• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)


  A mental health condition where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive activity
• Obsession


  An intrusive, unwanted and unpleasant thought, image or urge that repeatedly enters a person's mind, causing feelings of anxiety or unease
• Compulsion


  A repetitive behaviour that someone feels they need to carry out to try and reduce the unpleasant feelings that the obsessional thoughts create
• OCD symptoms can range from mild to severe
• To be diagnosed with OCD, the obsessions and compulsions will be significantly time consuming and interfere with the individual's daily routine and social/work functioning
• Behavioural characteristics of OCD

  • Repetitive behaviour that is carried out
  • Excessive and repetitive ritualistic behaviour that the individual feels they must perform or something bad will happen
  • The compulsions will take up at least one hour of the day
  • The compulsions reduce the anxiety which is caused by the obsessive thoughts
• Emotional characteristics of OCD

  • The anxiety and distress created by the obsessions and the urge to complete the compulsions
• Cognitive characteristics of OCD

  • Intrusive, repetitive and persistent thoughts, urges or images that cause distress
  • The sufferer cannot suppress these thoughts/urges/images
  • They realise that the obsessions are irrational
• OCD can also lead to other negative emotions that cause distress, such as irrational guilt or disgust
• The anxiety may also be accompanied by depression
• An OCD sufferer may also be hypervigilant and be on constant alert for potential hazards