ObsessiveCompulsive

Obsessivecompulsive is a term most commonly linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a mental health condition characterized by obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are intrusive, unwanted thoughts, urges, or mental images that cause distress. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce distress or prevent feared events, often performed in response to obsessions or according to rigid rules. Common examples include excessive cleaning, checking, counting, arranging for symmetry, or hoarding; many people perform compulsions in private.

Diagnosis is made when obsessions and/or compulsions are time-consuming (often more than one hour per day) and cause significant distress or impairment, are not due to substances, and are not better explained by another disorder. OCD affects about 2-3% of people at some point in life, typically beginning in adolescence or early adulthood, with similar rates across genders.

Causes involve genetic vulnerability, neurobiological factors including serotonin systems and cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical circuits, and environmental stress. A combination of factors influences onset and course.

Treatment options include cognitive-behavioral therapy with exposure and ritual prevention (ERP) and pharmacotherapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Some patients respond to higher-dose SSRIs or clomipramine; for treatment-resistant cases, augmentation strategies or neuromodulation approaches, such as deep brain stimulation, may be considered.

This article uses obsessivecompulsive as a shorthand; clinically, the term most often refers to OCD, a distinct disorder within anxiety-related conditions. Ongoing care, education, and family support improve outcomes; early recognition reduces impairment.