Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, is a type of anxiety disorder that affects millions of people around the world. It’s characterised by obsessions (recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are intrusive and cause distress) and compulsions (repetitive behaviours or mental acts that the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession).

People with OCD often have difficulty completing daily tasks because of their obsessions and compulsions. For example, someone with OCD might be afraid of germs and as a result, spend hours every day washing their hands or cleaning their house. Or, someone might be afraid of making mistakes and as a result, spend hours checking and rechecking their work.

While everyone experiences anxiety from time to time, people with OCD experience anxiety that is much more severe and interferes with their ability to function in daily life. If you think you might have OCD, keep reading for a detailed list of ways you can determine whether you’re experiencing it, and whether you would benefit from visiting clinical psychologists in Bayswater.

Signs and symptoms of OCD

There are many different signs and symptoms of OCD, but some of the most common include:

• Intrusive thoughts: Thoughts that repeatedly enter your mind even though you don’t want them to. These thoughts might be about things like contamination, harm coming to yourself or others, losing control, or making mistakes.

• Avoidance: Avoiding people, places, objects, activities, thoughts, or feelings because they trigger your obsessions .

• Compulsions: Repetitive behaviours or mental acts that you feel driven to perform in order to reduce your anxiety.

• Excessive handwashing: Spending hours every day washing your hands because you’re afraid of germs.

• Excessive cleaning: Spending hours every day cleaning your house because you’re afraid of contamination.

• Checking door locks multiple times before leaving the house; checking appliances multiple times before leaving the house; checking work over and over again before turning it in.

• Mental compulsions: Repeating certain words or phrases in your head; counting in your head; praying; touching objects multiple times; having superstitious beliefs.

Getting treatment

If you think you might have OCD, the best thing to do is talk to a mental health professional. They will be able to diagnose you and provide you with the treatment you need to manage your symptoms. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to treating OCD, but there are many effective treatments available. With treatment, most people with OCD are able to manage their symptoms and live happy, healthy lives.