What is OCD?
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental health condition that involves two major types of symptoms: Obsessions & Compulsions.
Obsessions are intrusive & unwanted thoughts, urges, and images that repeatedly enter a person’s mind. They lead to intense feelings of distress, anxiety, shame, and worry.
Common Obsessions
Fear of contamination by coming in contact with germs, dirt, or bodily fluids
Unwanted sexual or violent thoughts
Fear of losing control of one's own actions and acting on negative impulses
Excessive concern about evenness or exactness
Concern about morality or offending God
Fear of causing harm to self or others
Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that a person performs to reduce the distressing feelings of obsessive thoughts. They follow a rigid set of rules and can be ritualistic and time-consuming.
Common Compulsions
Cleaning or washing excessively
Mentally reassuring oneself that everything is OK
Repeating activities a specific number of times
Rearranging items until they feel just right
Mentally reviewing a situation again and again
Excessively checking that a mistake was not made
How Does OCD Work?
Obsessive thoughts cause an intense Anxiety Response
Anxiety Response leads to Compulsive Behaviors
Compulsive Behaviors provide a sense of Temporary Relief
Temporary Relief reinforces and strengthens the OCD Response
OCD Treatment will focus on understanding this cycle and working to break it. Exposure & Response Prevention Therapy was designed specifically to treat the unique challenges of OCD.