Common obsessions and compulsions

Common OCD Concerns:

 

OCD has many faces and every OCD-er experiences

his or her own unique worries and behaviours. Rules

and parenting styles in family of origin; culture and

religion; character traits and emotionally significant

life events, all shape how OCD looks and feels.

 

However, we feel that there are certain themes or

trends in obsessions and compulsions which those

who work with OCD clients say they see time and

time again.

Common Obsessions   

Contamination fears, harm to self or others,

symmetry urges, persistent doubting, worry about

throwing things away, religious and moral scrupulosity,

appearance or health fears and superstitious or magical

thinking.

Common Compulsion

Washing, checking, arranging, counting

touching, tapping, repeating words, hoarding

asking for reassurance, neutralizing mental

correcting.

 

“It's difficult to explain why I check, when most of my mind

knows I don't need to and I'm wasting my time. I get this

rising tension, and a tiny doubting voice telling me to go

and have one more look at my coffee maker and toaster

to make sure they're turned off. Even though I've promised

myself not to check anymore, I always feel that if I don't,

something terrible might happen. My therapist tells me I

should make myself resist – but so far, this tactic doesn't

seem worth the stress it brings up in me”.

(Jack, 44 years old)