Do you have the same thought continually entering into your mind despite trying to ignore it? Or do you find that you can’t relax unless you’ve completed a specific behaviour or pattern? Sometimes, thoughts can become so intrusive that they start to take up a large part of our day, and affect other aspects of our lives. If this is the case, you may have some of the symptoms associated with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD.
OCD can be a very debilitating if left to develop without treatment, and can start take over almost every aspect of a person’s life. It involves two key aspects – obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are intrusive thoughts, images, urges or beliefs that continually occupy the mind despite trying to resist or remove them. Compulsions are the resulting behaviour or act, and often provide relief from the intrusive obsessive thoughts, but at the same time, impair the person’s ability to function.
Some common obsessions include: