OCD Characteristics

Question 1

What is OCD?

Answer 1

The characteristics of OCD can be categorized under three main headings: behavioural, emotional and cognitive.

Question 2

Behavioural Characteristics - The way people act

Answer 2

The behavioural component of OCD centres on the compulsive behaviour and for sufferers of OCD, compulsions have two properties:

1) Firstly, compulsions are repetitive in nature and sufferers will often feel compelled to repeat a behaviour, for example, repetitive hand washing. This may include counting, praying, tidying/organising.
2) Secondly, compulsions are used to manage or reduce anxiety, for example, the excessive hand washing is caused by an excessive fear of germs and bacteria and is therefore a direct response to the obsession.

The behaviour of OCD sufferers may also be characterised by their avoidance as they attempt to reduce anxiety by keeping away from situations that trigger it. For example, sufferers who wash compulsively may avoid coming into contact with germs. However, this avoidance can lead people to avoid very ordinary situations and this can interfere with theme leading a normal life.

Question 3

Emotional Characteristics - The way people feel

Answer 3

The emotional characteristics of OCD are mainly characterised by anxiety which is caused by the obsessions, however some sufferers of OCD also experience depression. Obsessions are persistent and/or forbidden thoughts and ideas, which cause high levels of anxiety and distress in OCD sufferers.
Furthermore, OCD can often lead to depression, as the anxiety experienced can often result in a low mood and loss of pleasure in everyday activities, because everyday activities are interrupted by obsessive thoughts and repetitive compulsions.

Question 4

Cognitive Characteristics - The way people think

Answer 4

Obsessive thoughts are the main feature of OCD. They vary considerably from person to person but are always unpleasant. Examples of recurring thoughts include:
- Fear of contamination, by dirt or germs;
- Fear of safety, by leaving doors or windows;
- Religious fears, from being immoral;
- Perfectionism;
- A fear of not being the best;

• For sufferers of OCD, these thoughts occur over and over again.
• Some sufferers of OCD adopt cognitive strategies to deal with their obsessions. For example, sufferers with religious obsessions may pray over and over, to reduce their feelings of being immoral. Furthermore, sufferers of OCD know that their obsessions and compulsions are irrational and experience selective attention directed towards the anxiety-generating stimuli (similar to the selective attention found in phobias).