Obsessive-compulsive Disorder


Symptoms typically begin during childhood, the teenage years or young adulthood, although males often develop them at a younger age than females. 1.2% of U.S. adults experience OCD each year. 




Examples of obsessions include:

  • Thoughts about harming or having harmed someone
  • Unpleasant sexual images
  • Fears of saying or shouting inappropriate things in public


Examples of compulsions include:

  • Hand washing due to a fear of germs
  • Counting and recounting money because a person is can't be sure they added correctly
  • "Mental checking" that goes with intrusive thoughts is also a form of compulsion


The exact cause of obsessive-compulsive disorder is unknown, but researchers believe that activity in several portions of the brain is responsible. More specifically, these areas of the brain may not respond normally to serotonin, a chemical that some nerve cells use to communicate with each other. Genetics are thought to be very important. If you, your parent or a sibling, have obsessive-compulsive disorder, there's around a 25% chance that another immediate family member will have it.


A doctor or mental health care professional will make a diagnosis of OCD. A general physical with blood tests is recommended to make sure the symptoms are not caused by illicit drugs, medications, another mental illness, or by a general medical condition. The sudden appearance of symptoms in children or older people merits a thorough medical evaluation to ensure that another illness is not causing of these symptoms.

To be diagnosed with OCD, a person must have must have:

  • Obsessions, compulsions or both
  • Obsessions or compulsions that are upsetting and cause difficulty with work, relationships, other parts of life and typically last for at least an hour each day


A typical treatment plan will often include both psychotherapy and medications, and combined treatment is usually optimal.

  • Medication, especially a type of antidepressant called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), is helpful for many people to reduce the obsessions and compulsions.
  • Psychotherapy is also helpful in relieving obsessions and compulsions. In particular,cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and exposure and response therapy (ERT) are effective for many people. Exposure response prevention therapy helps a person tolerate the anxiety associated with obsessive thoughts while not acting out a compulsion to reduce that anxiety. Over time, this leads to less anxiety and more self-mastery.

Though OCD cannot be cured, it can be treated effectively. Read more on our treatment page.

Related Conditions


  • Body Dysmorphic Disorder. This disorder is characterized by an obsession with physical appearance. Unlike simple vanity, BDD is characterized by obsessing over one's appearance and body image, often for many hours a day. Any perceived flaws cause significant distress and ultimately impede on the person's ability to function. In some extreme cases, BDD can lead to bodily injury either due to infection because of skin picking, excessive exercise, or from having unnecessary surgical procedures to change one’s appearance.