Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
What is OCD? What are its symptoms?
OCD is a condition that has 3 main features:
• Obsessions: Intrusive and unwanted thoughts/images/urges that an individual is unable to suppress.
• Compulsions: repetitive behaviors- which are followed rigidly and are done either physically (eg. repeatedly checking if the door is locked or not) or mentally (eg. counting numbers in your head), which helps ease distress/anxiety.
• These obsessions and compulsions can be time consuming/ cause distress or significantly impair other areas of life
Identification markers:
- Compulsion of washing hands
- Organization of items in the same place
- Repeatedly checking if the door, windows, locks, are locked or no
- Repeatedly turning switches off and on
- Repeating specific phrases (numbers, sentences, selective words)
For the treatment of OCD, an individual needs to seek the help of a mental health professional for psychotherapy. Consulting a psychiatrist and a psychologist simultaneously might prove to be more beneficial.