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Washing Hands

OCD

OCD  obsessions are repeated, persistent and unwanted thoughts urge, or images that
are intrusive and cause distress or anxiety. You might try to ignore them or get rid of them by performing a compulsive behavior or ritual. These obsessions typically intrude when you're trying to think of or do other things.


Obsessions often have themes to them, such as:

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  • Fear of contamination or dirt
    Doubting and having difficulty tolerating uncertainty

  • Needing things orderly and symmetrical

  • Aggressive or horrific thoughts about losing control and harming yourself or others

  • Unwanted thoughts, including aggression, or sexual or religious subjects

 

Examples of obsession signs and symptoms include:

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  • Fear of being contaminated by touching objects others have touched

  • Doubts that you've locked the door or turned off the stove

  • Intense stress when objects aren't orderly or facing a certain way

  • Images of driving your car into a crowd of people

  • Thoughts about shouting obscenities or acting inappropriately in public

  • Unpleasant sexual images

  • Avoidance of situations that can trigger obsessions, such as shaking hands


OCD  compulsions are repetitive behaviors that you feel driven to perform. These repetitive behaviors or mental acts are meant to reduce anxiety related to your obsessions or prevent something bad from happening. However, engaging in the
compulsions bring no pleasure and may offer only temporary relief from anxiety.

 

You may make up rules or rituals to follow that help control your anxiety when you're having obsessive thoughts. These compulsions are excessive and often are not realistically related to the problem they're intended to fix.


As with obsessions, compulsions typically have themes, such as:

 

  • Washing and cleaning

  • Checking

  • Counting

  • Orderliness

  • Following a strict routine

  • Demanding reassurance

 

Examples of compulsion signs and symptoms include:

 

  • Hand-washing until your skin becomes raw

  • Checking doors repeatedly to make sure they're locked

  • Checking the stove repeatedly to make sure it's off

  • Counting in certain patterns

  • Silently repeating a prayer, word, or phrase

  • Arranging your canned goods to face the same way

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