OCD
Intrusive, unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviours performed to reduce the distress they cause, treated with exposure and response prevention as first-line care.
What it is
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterised by intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviours or mental acts performed to reduce the distress they cause (compulsions). Severity is generally assessed by time consumed, distress caused, and degree of functional interference rather than by symptom type alone.
Common symptoms & concerns
- Obsessions/compulsions consuming under an hour a day, with functioning largely preserved
- Obsessions/compulsions consuming one to three hours a day, with noticeable interference in work, study, or relationships
- Near-constant obsessions/compulsions consuming more than three hours a day, substantially impairing daily functioning
Assessment & care
Assessment approach
Assessment is a structured diagnostic process distinguishing OCD from other anxiety-spectrum presentations, since treatment approach depends on getting that distinction right.
In-scope care
In-scope care includes exposure and response prevention (a specialised form of CBT) and medication management where indicated, particularly for moderate-to-severe presentations, with supportive mind-body practices positioned as adjunct only. Exposure and response prevention directly retrains the obsession-compulsion cycle while medication, when combined, lowers baseline anxiety enough for exposure work to proceed effectively.
Treatments used
Related questions
No. OCD involves intrusive, unwanted thoughts and compulsions performed specifically to reduce the distress they cause, consuming significant time and causing real impairment, not simply a preference for order.
This depends on severity. Milder presentations may respond to exposure and response prevention alone, while moderate-to-severe OCD is often treated with medication alongside therapy, determined at assessment.
Care focuses on meaningfully reducing symptoms and improving functioning rather than promising a cure; outcomes are individualized.