Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that triggers obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
OCD can affect men, women, and children, with symptoms appearing in some people as young as six years old, but it often begins in puberty and early adulthood.
There are different theories about why someone develops OCD. Research suggests that it may involve personal experiences and biological factors.
Symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder
If you have OCD, you will often experience recurring obsessive thoughts, which can be distressing and interfere significantly with your life.
Mental health charity MIND explains that obsessions are unwelcome thoughts, feelings, images, urges, fears or doubts that keep popping up in your mind. They can feel like they're stuck in your brain, no matter what you do.
A person with burglary compulsions, for example, may feel the need to check that all windows and doors are locked several times before they can leave their home. These compulsions may make you feel better at first, but you may find that the more you do something compulsively, the more you want to do it again. This can lead to an unhelpful cycle of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Sometimes the compulsion is clearly related to what you're worried about, and sometimes it's less clear. The types of compulsions you do may change over time.
Common types of compulsive behavior include:
- Cleaning and hand washing.
- Check that the doors are locked or turn off the gas.
- Arrangement.
- Saving.
- Request reassurance.
- Repetition of words in the brain.
- Avoid places and situations that can trigger obsessive thoughts.
People with OCD may be reluctant to seek help because they feel ashamed or embarrassed.
The NHS website lists two ways to regain control of your life if OCD is taking over:
- Talk therapy, which helps you confront your fears and obsessive thoughts without “correcting” them through compulsion.
- Medicine, by resorting to antidepressant medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which can help by changing the balance of chemicals in the brain.