When Intrusive Thoughts Take Over
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic mental health condition characterized by uncontrollable, recurring thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions) that a person feels the urge to repeat over and over. These obsessions and compulsions interfere with daily activities and cause significant distress.
Intrusive thoughts that cause Severe Anxiety
Repetitive behaviors to reduce Distress
Up to 2-3% of people suffer from OCD
People with OCD feel like they have no control
Symptoms can take up 1+ hours daily
Most often begins in childhood or young adulthood
Understand Obsessive-Compulsive disorders through simple visuals explaining symptoms, triggers, diagnosis, and treatment options. This guide helps you recognise warning signs and explore effective paths to coping and recovery.
Generalized Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
People with OCD experience persistent, unwanted thoughts that cause anxiety and feel compelled to perform rituals to ease that anxiety.
The main features of OCD are:
- Recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are intrusive and unwanted
- The person attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts or neutralize them with another thought or action
- Repetitive behaviors (e.g., hand washing, checking) or mental acts (e.g., counting, repeating words silently)
- The behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing distress but are not connected in a realistic way
- The obsessions or compulsions are time-consuming (take more than 1 hour per day) or cause significant distress
- The disturbance is not due to substance use or another medical condition
Common OCD Types
OCD involves unwanted thoughts causing anxiety, leading to repetitive behaviors. Common types include contamination fears, checking, and symmetry needs.
Contamination Fears
Obsessions: Germs, Dirt
Compulsive Cleaning
Cleaning Rituals
Checking Behaviors
Fear of Harm/Danger
Repeated Checking
Locks, Stoves, Switches
Symmetry Obsession
Need for Exactness
Ordering Compulsions
Arranging Items Perfectly
Intrusive Thoughts
Violent/Sexual Images
Mental Rituals
Counting, Praying
Hoarding Behaviors
Difficulty Discarding
Religious Obsessions
Scrupulosity Concerns
"Just Right" Feelings
Need for Perfection
Reassurance Seeking
Asking Repeatedly
OCD can be effectively managed with the right treatment. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, specifically Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), is the gold standard. Medication such as SSRIs can also help. The first step is accurate diagnosis through professional evaluation.
Anxiety Disorders is among the most treatable of mental disorders.
Between 80 percent and 90 percent of people with anxiety eventually respond well to treatment. Most, if not all, patients gain significant relief from their symptoms with treatment.
SSRIs and SNRIs are the mainstay of OCD treatment for mild to moderate cases. Often combined with psychotherapy. Medications require 8–12 weeks for response.
Brain stimulation techniques like rTMS and Deep Brain Stimulation are significantly helpful and are also USFDA approved for the same.
Techniques like CBT and ERP are very useful in mild cases or as an adjunct to other forms of treatment.
Understand Obsessive-Compulsive disorders through simple visuals explaining symptoms, triggers, diagnosis, and treatment options. This guide helps you recognise warning signs and explore effective paths to coping and recovery.