Obsessions can be intrusive and recurrent thoughts, ideas or impulses and they can be worrying, repulsive, obscene or blasphemous. These thoughts, ideas or impulses are not voluntary and often invade a sufferer’s consciousness. Obsessing over germs and dirt, nagging doubts, sexual thoughts, fear that things are not safe and having things in a particular order are common obsessions. Most of us will have experienced the odd obsessional thought, however if these thoughts occur regularly and interfere with normal daily routines and relationships, they can cause extreme distress.

Compulsions

Compulsions are actions an individual feels compelled to perform to reduce the anxiety they feel from an obsession. They are repeated continuously and often carried out without conscious thought. Examples of compulsions include excessive washing and cleaning, counting and touching things, hoarding, incessant rechecking, repeating certain words or phrases and performing ritualistic behaviour.

Research has found that OCD usually appears in childhood or adolescence and symptoms may come and go, ease over time or get steadily worse. Some sufferers will have the obsessions but no physical outward compulsions. Other anxiety disorders that can accompany OCD are depression, eating disorders and drug or alcohol abuse.