4.4.1. Characteristics of OCD

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder and is characterised by experiencing persistent and intrusive thoughts which occur as obsessions, compulsions or sometimes both.

• Obsessions: Cognitive internal intrusive thoughts  e.g. there are germs everywhere and they could harm me
• Compulsions: Behavioural external repetitive behaviours  e.g. I need to wash my hands each time I touch something to avoid the germs and getting ill

• The DSM-5 recognises OCD, and a range of disorders related to it, which also have obsessive thinking and repetitive behaviours as characteristics
  • OCD: Characterised either by compulsions (repetitive behaviours, E.g. turning the lights off and on a particular amount of times before leaving the room) and/or obsessions (reoccurring thoughts: If I don't turn the lights off 5 times then something bad will happen)
  • Excoriation: Compulsive skin-picking 
  • Trichotillomania: Compulsive hair-pulling

Symptoms of OCD can be characterised by three areas:

Behavioural characteristics

• Compulsions: this is  the largest behavioural characteristic as they account for more than one behavioural characteristic:
  
  • Compulsions are repetitive and time-consuming, they can stop the person suffering from OCD from continuing their daily life, E.g. Having to wash your hands 7 times in a row could easily make you late for college or work
  • Compulsions reduce anxiety and the repetitive behaviour is often  performed to reduce the anxiety of the person suffering from OCD
  • For example: Washing your hands 7 times in a row could reduce the anxiety of germs and the consequence of becoming ill
  • Opening and shutting the door 16 times, could reduce the anxiety of worrying about whether the door is locked
• Avoidance:
  • The person suffering from OCD is likely to try and avoid situations that would cause them to show their compulsions
  • This can stop them from attending social situations as they are worried about germs or avoiding personal relationships: There is a fear that such encounters may trigger a negative response from them

Emotional characteristics

• Extreme anxiety: The person suffering from OCD is likely to suffer from extreme levels of anxiety, obsessive thoughts (which are often frightening and overwhelming) and the compulsions that cause the sufferer anxiety and distress
• Guilt: Often those suffering from OCD, can also have other negative emotions against themselves, such as feeling guilt over a situation or being disgusted with themselves
• Depression: Often those suffering from OCD, can also suffer from depression and experience low mood plus a lack of enjoyment of activities, brought on by the compulsions and obsessions

Cognitive characteristics

• Obsessive thoughts: The majority of people suffering from OCD have obsessive thoughts
• This is when they have thoughts that reoccur over and over again and are often intrusive
• For example,  if I do not wash my hands 7 times, I will die from the germs on my hands
• Obsessive actions: The person suffering from OCD will often have to perform these obsessive actions to allow them to continue with their day
• Excessive anxiety: The sufferer of OCD understands that these thoughts and actions are irrational but they cannot stop them, however, even though they understand they are irrational
• They may  experience catastrophic thoughts about what could happen, in their worst-case scenario, if their anxieties came true