Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) - Symptoms and causes

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) features a pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead you to do repetitive behaviors ... COVID-19:Advice,updatesandvaccineoptions FindoutaboutCOVID-19,COVID-19vaccines,andMayoClinicpatientandvisitorupdates. Skiptositenavigation SkiptoContent ThiscontentdoesnothaveanEnglishversion.ThiscontentdoesnothaveanArabicversion. SectionsforObsessive-compulsivedisorder(OCD)Symptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departmentsCareatMayoClinic Print OverviewObsessive-compulsivedisorder(OCD)featuresapatternofunwantedthoughtsandfears(obsessions)thatleadyoutodorepetitivebehaviors(compulsions).Theseobsessionsandcompulsionsinterferewithdailyactivitiesandcausesignificantdistress. Youmaytrytoignoreorstopyourobsessions,butthatonlyincreasesyourdistressandanxiety.Ultimately,youfeeldriventoperformcompulsiveactstotrytoeaseyourstress.Despiteeffortstoignoreorgetridofbothersomethoughtsorurges,theykeepcomingback.Thisleadstomoreritualisticbehavior—theviciouscycleofOCD. OCDoftencentersaroundcertainthemes—forexample,anexcessivefearofgettingcontaminatedbygerms.Toeaseyourcontaminationfears,youmaycompulsivelywashyourhandsuntilthey'resoreandchapped. IfyouhaveOCD,youmaybeashamedandembarrassedaboutthecondition,buttreatmentcanbeeffective. SymptomsObsessive-compulsivedisorderusuallyincludesbothobsessionsandcompulsions.Butit'salsopossibletohaveonlyobsessionsymptomsoronlycompulsionsymptoms.Youmayormaynotrealizethatyourobsessionsandcompulsionsareexcessiveorunreasonable,buttheytakeupagreatdealoftimeandinterferewithyourdailyroutineandsocial,schoolorworkfunctioning. ObsessionsymptomsOCDobsessionsarerepeated,persistentandunwantedthoughts,urgesorimagesthatareintrusiveandcausedistressoranxiety.Youmighttrytoignorethemorgetridofthembyperformingacompulsivebehaviororritual.Theseobsessionstypicallyintrudewhenyou'retryingtothinkofordootherthings. Obsessionsoftenhavethemestothem,suchas: Fearofcontaminationordirt Doubtingandhavingdifficultytoleratinguncertainty Needingthingsorderlyandsymmetrical Aggressiveorhorrificthoughtsaboutlosingcontrolandharmingyourselforothers Unwantedthoughts,includingaggression,orsexualorreligioussubjects Examplesofobsessionsignsandsymptomsinclude: Fearofbeingcontaminatedbytouchingobjectsothershavetouched Doubtsthatyou'velockedthedoororturnedoffthestove Intensestresswhenobjectsaren'torderlyorfacingacertainway Imagesofdrivingyourcarintoacrowdofpeople Thoughtsaboutshoutingobscenitiesoractinginappropriatelyinpublic Unpleasantsexualimages Avoidanceofsituationsthatcantriggerobsessions,suchasshakinghands CompulsionsymptomsOCDcompulsionsarerepetitivebehaviorsthatyoufeeldriventoperform.Theserepetitivebehaviorsormentalactsaremeanttoreduceanxietyrelatedtoyourobsessionsorpreventsomethingbadfromhappening.However,engaginginthecompulsionsbringsnopleasureandmayofferonlyatemporaryrelieffromanxiety. Youmaymakeuprulesorritualstofollowthathelpcontrolyouranxietywhenyou'rehavingobsessivethoughts.Thesecompulsionsareexcessiveandoftenarenotrealisticallyrelatedtotheproblemthey'reintendedtofix. Aswithobsessions,compulsionstypicallyhavethemes,suchas: Washingandcleaning Checking Counting Orderliness Followingastrictroutine Demandingreassurance Examplesofcompulsionsignsandsymptomsinclude: Hand-washinguntilyourskinbecomesraw Checkingdoorsrepeatedlytomakesurethey'relocked Checkingthestoverepeatedlytomakesureit'soff Countingincertainpatterns Silentlyrepeatingaprayer,wordorphrase Arrangingyourcannedgoodstofacethesameway SeverityvariesOCDusuallybeginsintheteenoryoungadultyears,butitcanstartinchildhood.Symptomsusuallybegingraduallyandtendtovaryinseveritythroughoutlife.Thetypesofobsessionsandcompulsionsyouexperiencecanalsochangeovertime.Symptomsgenerallyworsenwhenyouexperiencegreaterstress.OCD,usuallyconsideredalifelongdisorder,canhavemildtomoderatesymptomsorbesosevereandtime-consumingthatitbecomesdisabling. WhentoseeadoctorThere'sadifferencebetweenbeingaperfectionist—someonewhorequiresflawlessresultsorperformance,forexample—andhavingOCD.OCDthoughtsaren'tsimplyexcessiveworriesaboutrealproblemsinyourlifeorlikingtohavethingscleanorarrangedinaspecificway. Ifyourobsessionsandcompulsionsareaffectingyourqualityoflife,seeyourdoctorormentalhealthprofessional.   Thereisaproblemwith informationsubmittedforthisrequest.Review/updatethe informationhighlightedbelowandresubmittheform. FromMayoClinictoyourinbox Signupforfree,andstayuptodateonresearchadvancements,healthtipsandcurrenthealthtopics,likeCOVID-19,plusexpertiseonmanaginghealth. Email ErrorEmailfieldisrequired ErrorIncludeavalidemailaddress LearnmoreaboutMayoClinic’suseofdata. Toprovideyouwiththemostrelevantandhelpfulinformation,andunderstandwhich informationisbeneficial,wemaycombineyouremailandwebsiteusageinformationwith otherinformationwehaveaboutyou.IfyouareaMayoClinicpatient,thiscould includeprotectedhealthinformation.Ifwecombinethisinformationwithyourprotected healthinformation,wewilltreatallofthatinformationasprotectedhealth informationandwillonlyuseordisclosethatinformationassetforthinournoticeof privacypractices.Youmayopt-outofemailcommunicationsatanytimebyclickingon theunsubscribelinkinthee-mail. Subscribe! Thankyouforsubscribing OurHousecalle-newsletterwillkeepyouup-to-dateonthelatesthealthinformation. Sorrysomethingwentwrongwithyoursubscription Please,tryagaininacoupleofminutes Retry RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic CausesThecauseofobsessive-compulsivedisorderisn'tfullyunderstood.Maintheoriesinclude: Biology.OCDmaybearesultofchangesinyourbody'sownnaturalchemistryorbrainfunctions. Genetics.OCDmayhaveageneticcomponent,butspecificgeneshaveyettobeidentified. Learning.Obsessivefearsandcompulsivebehaviorscanbelearnedfromwatchingfamilymembersorgraduallylearnedovertime. RiskfactorsFactorsthatmayincreasetheriskofdevelopingortriggeringobsessive-compulsivedisorderinclude: Familyhistory.HavingparentsorotherfamilymemberswiththedisordercanincreaseyourriskofdevelopingOCD. Stressfullifeevents.Ifyou'veexperiencedtraumaticorstressfulevents,yourriskmayincrease.Thisreactionmay,forsomereason,triggertheintrusivethoughts,ritualsandemotionaldistresscharacteristicofOCD. Othermentalhealthdisorders.OCDmayberelatedtoothermentalhealthdisorders,suchasanxietydisorders,depression,substanceabuseorticdisorders. ComplicationsProblemsresultingfromobsessive-compulsivedisordermayinclude,amongothers: Excessivetimespentengaginginritualisticbehaviors Healthissues,suchascontactdermatitisfromfrequenthand-washing Difficultyattendingwork,schoolorsocialactivities Troubledrelationships Overallpoorqualityoflife Suicidalthoughtsandbehavior PreventionThere'snosurewaytopreventobsessive-compulsivedisorder.However,gettingtreatmentassoonaspossiblemayhelppreventOCDfromworseninganddisruptingactivitiesandyourdailyroutine. ByMayoClinicStaff Obsessive-compulsivedisorder(OCD)careatMayoClinic RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic Diagnosis&treatment March11,2020 Print Shareon:FacebookTwitter Showreferences Deepbrainstimulationforobsessivecompulsivedisorder:Evolutionofsurgicalstimulationtargetparallelschangingmodelofdysfunctionalbraincircuits.FrontiersinNeuroscience.2019;doi:10.3389/fnins.2018.00998. BrownAY.AllscriptsEPSi.MayoClinic.May2,2019. Obsessive-compulsivedisorder.In:DiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisordersDSM-5.5thed.AmericanPsychiatricAssociation;2013.https://dsm.psychiatryonline.org.AccessedSept.3,2019. Suicidalityinchildrenandadolescentsbeingtreatedwithantidepressantmedications.U.S.FoodandDrugAdministration.https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/suicidality-children-and-adolescents-being-treated-antidepressant-medications.AccessedAug.13,2019. GabrielM,etal.Antidepressantdiscontinuationsyndrome.CanadianMedicalAssociationJournal.2017;doi:10.1503/cmaj.160991. ZaiG,etal.Newinsightsandperspectivesongeneticsofobsessive-compulsivedisorder.PsychiatricGenetics.2019;doi:10.1097/YPG.0000000000000230. Obsessive-compulsivedisorder.NationalAllianceonMentalIllness.https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Obsessive-compulsive-Disorder/Overview.AccessedSept.3,2019. Obsessive-compulsivedisorderinchildrenandadolescents.AmericanAcademyofChild&AdolescentPsychiatry.https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorder-In-Children-And-Adolescents-060.aspx.AccessedSept.3,2019. Obsessive-compulsivedisorder.NationalInstituteofMentalHealth.https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/index.shtml.AccessedSept.3,2019. Mentalhealthmedications.NationalInstituteofMentalHealth.https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/mental-health-medications/index.shtml#part_149856.AccessedAug.13,2019. AskMayoExpert.Obsessive-compulsivedisorder(OCD).MayoClinic;2019. Depressionbasics.NationalInstituteofMentalHealth.https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/index.shtml.AccessedSept.4,2019. Obsessive-compulsivedisorder(OCD).MerckManualProfessionalVersion.https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric-disorders/obsessive-compulsive-and-related-disorders/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd.AccessedSept.3,2019. WoodyEZ,etal.Obsessivecompulsivedisorder(OCD):Currenttreatmentsandaframeworkforneurotherapeuticresearch.AdvancesinPharmacology.2019;doi:10.1016/bs.apha.2019.04.003. DenovoclassificationrequestforBrainswayDeepTranscranialMagneticStimulationSystem.U.S.FoodandDrugAdministration.https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/cdrh-transparency/evaluation-automatic-class-iii-designation-de-novo-summaries.AccessedFeb.19,2020. SawchukCN(expertopinion).MayoClinic.Feb.20,2020. Related AssociatedProcedures Cognitivebehavioraltherapy Deepbrainstimulation Electroconvulsivetherapy(ECT) Psychotherapy Transcranialmagneticstimulation Showmoreassociatedprocedures Obsessive-compulsivedisorder(OCD)Symptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departmentsCareatMayoClinic Advertisement MayoClinicdoesnotendorsecompaniesorproducts.Advertisingrevenuesupportsournot-for-profitmission. Advertising&Sponsorship Policy Opportunities AdChoices MayoClinicPress Checkoutthesebest-sellersandspecialoffersonbooksandnewslettersfromMayoClinicPress. 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