Understand the Facts
Children and adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) suffer from unwanted and intrusive thoughts that they can't seem to get out of their heads (obsessions), often compelling them to repeatedly perform ritualistic behaviors and routines (compulsions) to try and ease their anxiety.
Most people who have OCD are aware that their obsessions and compulsions are irrational, yet they feel powerless to stop them.
Some spend hours at a time performing complicated rituals involving hand-washing, counting, or checking to ward off persistent, unwelcome thoughts, feelings, or images.
The symptoms of OCD can vary from person to person, but they typically fall into two categories: obsessions and compulsions.
Obsessions are unwanted and intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that repeatedly enter a person's mind. They can be very distressing and cause significant anxiety. Common obsessions include:
- Fear of contamination or germs
- Fear of making mistakes
- Fear of harming oneself or others
- Unwanted sexual or religious thoughts
- Obsessive need for order and symmetry
Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that a person feels driven to perform in order to reduce anxiety or distress. They can be very time-consuming and interfere with daily life. Common compulsions include:
- Excessive washing or cleaning
- Repeated checking of doors, locks, or stoves
- Counting or tapping
- Ordering and arranging things in a specific way
- Repeating certain words or phrases
To be diagnosed with OCD, a person must experience obsessions, compulsions, or both, for more than one hour each day for at least two weeks. The obsessions and compulsions must also cause significant distress or impairment in daily life.
These can interfere with a person's normal routine, schoolwork, job, family, or social activities. Several hours every day may be spent focusing on obsessive thoughts and performing seemingly senseless rituals. Trying to concentrate on daily activities may be difficult.
Left untreated, OCD can interfere with all aspects of life.
Children suffer from OCD. Unlike adults, however, children with OCD may not realize that their obsessions and compulsions are excessive.