OCD - CHARACTERISTICS

• BEHAVIOURAL - changes in seen behavioural characteristics

  • Compulsions – repetitive – habitual e.g., washing, counting, ordering. 
  • Compulsions – anxiety reduction – only 10% of OCD show compulsions without obsessions for most of these compulsions serve the sole purpose to reduce anxiety 
  • Avoidance – sufferers may attempt to avoid anxiety but avoiding situations e.g., germ avoiders may avoid putting out bins. 
• EMOTIONAL - changes in expressed emotions

  • Anxiety/distress - unpleasant and frightening 
  • Depression – often accompanies OCD – compulsions may reduce anxiety, but they are only short-term fixes 
  • Guilt/disgust - these can be about the self  
• COGNITIVE - changes in the way a person thinks

  • Obsessive thoughts – 90% of sufferers have recurring thoughts and are unpleasant. 
  • Cognitive coping strategies – they devise their own ways to cope with obsessive thoughts e.g. those with obsessive 
  • Awareness of excessive anxiety – they are aware of their thoughts/behaviours are not rational.