OCD Treatment Focused on Helping You Reclaim Your Life

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), often referred to as “the disease of doubt,” has a way of creating the illusion that your mind is working against you. Your mind generates intrusive thoughts that are distressing, unwanted, and impossible to suppress. The only relief comes from repetitive physical or mental behavior. But soon after the discomfort is alleviated, the intrusive thought returns and the cycle starts all over again.
Many people diagnosed with OCD will tell you that the process is extremely draining and exhausting, with hours spent performing rituals, constantly questioning their perception, feeling trapped in a psychological loop that seems uncontrollable.

Fortunately, as distressing as OCD is, it is also very treatable. A clinician trained in OCD assessment and treatment can interrupt the cycle. The intrusive thoughts will lose their power, and the compulsions will cease to exert such a strong influence on your thoughts and actions. Recovery is not only possible; for most people who receive the right treatment, it is also the expected outcome.

OCD is a chronic mental illness defined by two main characteristics: obsessions and compulsions.[1] It is classified separately from other anxiety disorders within the DSM-5, though it shares similarities with them, and often co-exists with several anxiety disorders, mood disorders, eating disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and substance use disorders.[2]

Obsessions are recurring, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts, mental images, or urges that produce significant distress. Unlike excessive worries, obsessions are ego-dystonic, meaning people experiencing them find their thoughts to be completely contradictory to their values and perception of themselves.[3] This contradiction is a major contributor to their distress. 

Some common examples of obsessions include:

• A constant fear of contracting an illness or germs
• Having intrusive thoughts about intentionally harming yourself or others
• Feeling out of control of your behavior
• Having intrusive thoughts with themes related to religion, sex, or taboo content
• Having an excessive need for symmetry, order, and correctness
• Being excessively worried about losing something important or forgetting some task

Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental activities that happen as a direct result of the obsessive thinking, serving as a way to eliminate the distress produced by the obsession or to prevent a perceived catastrophic event.[4] Unfortunately, while these compulsions do provide immediate relief from the anxiety caused by the obsession, they continue to perpetuate the cycle, producing increased anxiety, leading to further compulsions. This results in greater entrenchment of the obsessive-compulsive cycle over time. 

Examples of compulsions include:

• Excessive checking, including checking if locks are locked, whether electrical appliances are turned off, or if you feel a certain physical sensation
• Excessive handwashing or cleaning
• Counting objects in a sequence
• Arranging objects in a particular manner
• Repeatedly seeking reassurance from others
• Performing mental rituals such as prayer, repetition of certain words or phrases, or mentally replaying past events

To meet diagnostic criteria for OCD, these patterns must be time-consuming (usually more than an hour per day) and must cause significant distress or impairment in daily life.[5] OCD is not a quirk; it is not perfectionism or simply being detail-oriented. It is a clinical condition involving a cycle of obsession, anxiety, and compulsion that meaningfully disrupts functioning and well-being. 

Some people with OCD also experience tics, or involuntary repetitive movements or sounds, that can include blinking, head movements, throat clearing, or grunting, which may indicate OCD with a tic disorder, a recognized subtype requiring specific clinical attention.[6]

It is also important to note that OCD symptoms can change focus over time. Although thought obsession topics may change, the overall pattern of obsessive thinking leading to compulsive behavior remains constant, and symptoms tend to worsen during stressful times or major life changes.[7]