Obsessions are repeated thoughts, urges, or mental images that cause anxiety in an individual. Some of the more common themes of obsessions include:
Obsessions are repeated thoughts, urges, or mental images that cause anxiety in an individual. Some of the more common themes of obsessions include:
‣Fear of germs
‣The need to have things in perfect, symmetrical order
‣Taboo thoughts or other unwanted thoughts are things such as sex, religion, or harm
‣Aggressive thoughts toward yourself or toward others
Some of the more common obsession signs and symptoms include:
‣Fear of being contaminated with germs or dirt by shaking hands with another person or touching objects that are not yours
‣Feeling intensely stressed out when certain belonging are not facing in the same direction (need for order and symmetry)
‣Avoiding situations that could cause obsessive thoughts (e.g., avoiding shaking another person’s hand for fear of getting germs or dirt on your own hands)
‣Constant doubt that you locked the door to your house/car and/or turned your stove off
‣Thoughts about horrifically hurting yourself or hurting others
‣Obsessive thoughts about shouting inappropriate things or obscenities
‣Feeling stressed out when you replay unwanted sexual images in your head repeatedly
‣Fear of being embarrassed
‣Excessive doubt and need for reassurance
Compulsions are the direct result of obsessions. When you suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, your obsessive thoughts lead to repetitive behaviors (compulsions) you feel are necessary to perform. You perform these behaviors to reduce the anxiety produced from obsessive thoughts and to prevent something bad from happening. If you are coping with obsessive-compulsive disorder, you likely know that these compulsions only provide temporary relief and bring no pleasure.
Common themes surrounding compulsions include:
‣Counting
‣Checking
‣Washing/cleaning
‣Maintaining strict routines
‣Orderliness
‣Need for reassurance
Common compulsion signs and symptoms include:
‣Excessive hand washing, often causing your hands to become raw and sometimes bleed
‣Patterned counting behaviors
‣Repeated checking that the stove is turned off
‣Repeated checking of door locks
‣Refusing to shake hands or touch door knobs
‣Eating foods in a specific order and/or not allowing foods to touch
‣Collecting or hoarding items
‣Repeating a prayer or phrase to yourself
‣Ordering and arranging things in a precise, symmetrical way
If you are suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, your symptoms may come and go over time and also vary in intensity.
