OCD – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
What is OCD? OCD – Obsessive compulsive disorder – is a severe type of anxiety disorder involving obsessions and compulsions that affects the day-to-day functioning of a person. What are obsessions? Obsessions are thoughts, images, or impulses that occur over and over again; cause severe anxiety; feel outside the person’s control and affect the day to day functioning of a person. What obsessions are not Most of us know what it is like to be preoccupied with a thought, idea or even a person sometimes. These are not obsessions. They often give pleasure, usually pass off soon and do not affect our daily routine or work. Certain types of personality are also linked to a fastidious concern for details and “correctness”. However, this is not associated with anxiety and hence not an obsession. What are compulsions? Compulsions are repetitive behaviours aimed at decreasing the anxiety associated with the obsessions. What compulsions are not Not all repetitive behaviours are compulsions. Bedti...