Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can affect people of all ages and from all walks of life. It is when a person gets caught in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions. Unwanted obsessions and intrusive thoughts can feel outside of the person’s control. For example, unwanted obsessions and thoughts can include: Fear of contamination Fear of causing harm to others Unwanted sexual thoughts Obsessional perfectionism (such as the fear of losing things). Compulsions are behaviours which a person exhibits in an attempt to get rid of the obsessions or anxiety, such as excessive hand washing, obsessive checking and repetition of activities. This cycle of obsessions and compulsions can be distressing and time-consuming, getting in the way of important activities that the person values. At The Eaves, our specialist therapists can work with you to understand the root cause of your OCD, and offer therapies such as CBT to help you learn coping mechanisms and strategies to control these compulsions.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours. OCD can affect men, women and children, it can be distressing and significantly interfere with your life, but treatment can help you keep it under control.
Obsessions are persistent thoughts, pictures, urges or doubts that appear in your mind again and again. They interrupt your thoughts against your control, and can be really frightening, graphic and disturbing. They may make you feel anxious, disgusted or uncomfortable.
Compulsions are repetitive activities that you feel you have to do. The aim of a compulsion is to try and deal with the distress caused by obsessive thoughts. You might have to continue doing the compulsion until the anxiety goes away and things feel right again. You might know that it doesn’t make sense to carry out a compulsion – but it can still feel too scary not to. Repeating compulsions is often very time-consuming and the relief they give you doesn’t usually last very long.
