Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that affects people of all ages and walks of life. It is characterized by a pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead to repetitive behaviors (compulsions) . These obsessions and compulsions interfere with daily activities and cause significant distress. People with OCD may have obsessions, compulsions, or both. Obsessions are repeated thoughts, urges, or mental images that are intrusive, unwanted, and make most people anxious. Common obsessions include fear of germs or contamination, fear of forgetting, losing, or misplacing something, fear of losing control over one’s behavior, aggressive thoughts toward others or oneself, and unwanted, forbidden, or taboo thoughts involving sex, religion, or harm. Compulsions are behaviors that individuals engage in to reduce the anxiety caused by their obsessions. Common compulsions include excessive cleaning or hand-washing, checking things repeatedly, counting, arranging things in a particular way, and repeating words silently.

People with OCD may try to ignore or stop their obsessions, but that only increases their distress and anxiety. Ultimately, they feel driven to perform compulsive acts to try to ease their stress. Despite efforts to ignore or get rid of bothersome thoughts or urges, they keep coming back. This leads to more ritualistic behavior, which is the vicious cycle of OCD. OCD is usually a life-long (chronic) condition, but symptoms can come and go over time. It affects 1.6% to 2.3% of the general U.S. population.

It is important to note that everyone experiences obsessions and compulsions at some point, but OCD is more extreme. It can take up hours of a person’s day and get in the way of normal life and activities. Obsessions in OCD are unwanted, and people with OCD don’t enjoy performing compulsive behaviors.