OCD: What are the Clinical Characteristics?

OCD (or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), is mainly characterised by anxiety, which can arise from both obsessions, and compulsions. This disorder is extremely common in the young adult stage of life. OCD can be defined through the following characteristics:

Obsessions - these create anxiety

• These are recurrent, intrusive thoughts or impulses that are perceived as inappropriate or forbidden. Common obsessional theme include ideas (for example, everywhere I go there will be germs), doubts (for example, the worry that something important has been overlooked), impulses (for example, shouting at obscenities), or images (for example, fleeting inappropriate images).

• These thoughts, impulses, or images are not simply excessive worries regarding everyday problems, rather they are seen as completely uncontrollable, which in turn causes severe anxiety.

• A person with OCD recognises that the obsessional thoughts or impulses are a product of his or her own mind (rather than 'thought insertion' as is typical of schizophrenia). A person with OCD attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, impulses, or images, or to neutralise them with some other thought or action.

Compulsions - these are a response in order to reduce the anxiety created by the obsession

• Compulsions are repetitive behaviours, including both overt behaviours, such as excessive hand washing or checking, and mental acts, such as counting or praying. 

• The compulsive behaviour or mental acts either are not connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralise, or prevent or are clearly excessive.

Further Criteria

• At some point during the course of the disorder, the person does recognise that the obsessions or compulsions are excessive or unreasonable. This does not apply to children. The obsession and/or compulsions cause marked distress, are time consuming (take more than one hour a day) and/or significantly interfere with the person's normal routine, occupational (or academic) functioning, or usual social activities or relationship. No other mental disorder is present and the disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (for example, a medication) or a general medical condition.

I hope you enjoyed, and thank you for taking your time to read :)