“For me, it’s an ever-present nagging feeling that something is just ‘not right.’ I can never really, truly ‘make it right.’ I have to learn to live with the all-consuming feeling of mental discomfort.”
-Anonymous
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Definition
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) dissected:
Obsessions - Reoccurring thoughts, urges, or behaviors that cause anxiety.
Compulsions - Redundant behaviors that derive to compliment the obsessive thought.
What are the symptoms of OCD?
- Generally, people with OCD can’t control the obsessions or compulsions even after they realize it is excessive
- Spend at least an hour a day on the obsessions or compulsions, does not gain pleasure performing the habits, but instead feels relief from anxiety
- Experiences substantial problems in daily life because of these thoughts and behaviors.
Did you know?
OCD affects 2.2 million adults, or 1.0% of the U.S. population.
OCD is equally common among men and women.
adaa.org
The average age of OCD onset is 19, with 25 percent of cases occurring by age 14.
One-third of affected adults first experienced symptoms in childhood.
adaa.org
In Popular Culture
Movies
- The Aviator
- As Good As It Gets
TV Shows
- The Big Bang Theory (Sheldon)
- Grey’s Anatomy (Bailey)
- Monk
Songs
- Trapped In My Mind - Kid Cudi
- Because of You - Linkin Park
- Here Comes A Thought - Steven Universe
- Obsessions - MARINA
Podcasts
- The OCD Stories
- On Repeat (The OCD Podcast)
- The OCD Whisperer