Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, involves having obsessive thinking patterns that can include unwanted thoughts, images or urges that make a person feel anxious or distressed.

Individuals who have OCD often have significant difficulty pushing away or ignoring these thoughts. Those with OCD also have compulsive behaviors which are an attempt to reduce the unwanted thoughts or urges by performing some sort of action, called a compulsion or ritual.

Common signs, according to the Mayo Clinic, of OCD are:

  • Intrusive and unwanted thoughts
  • Constant checking, counting, or doubting
  • The repeated cleaning of one or more items
  • Constantly checking the stove or door locks
  • Fear of contamination or germs
  • Hoarding
  • Thoughts that you might be harmed
  • Thoughts that you might cause others harm

If one or more of the above symptoms resonates with you or your chid, I encourage you to look into therapy for OCD today. Research shows that the most effective treatment for OCD is exposure with response prevention (ERP), a component of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).