Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Health Center

People with OCD generally:

• have repeated thoughts or images about many different things, such as fear of germs, dirt, or intruders; acts of violence; hurting loved ones; sexual acts; conflicts with religious beliefs; or being overly tidy
• do the same rituals over and over such as washing hands, locking and unlocking doors, counting, keeping unneeded items, or repeating the same steps again and again
• cannot control the unwanted thoughts and behaviors
• do not get pleasure when performing the behaviors or rituals, but get brief relief from the anxiety the thoughts cause
• spend at least one hour a day on the thoughts and rituals, which cause distress and get in the way of daily life