tvångsfenomen

Tvångsfenomen, often referred to as obsessions and compulsions, are a core feature of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Obsessions are intrusive, unwanted, and recurrent thoughts, images, or urges that cause significant distress or anxiety. These obsessions are not simply worries about real-life problems but are often irrational or excessive. Common themes include contamination, harm to oneself or others, sexual or religious intrusive thoughts, and a need for order and symmetry.

Compulsions, on the other hand, are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that an individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rigid rules. The purpose of these compulsions is to reduce the distress caused by the obsession or to prevent a feared event from occurring. Examples of compulsions include excessive washing or cleaning, checking, counting, ordering, arranging, and mental rituals like praying or repeating words silently. While performing a compulsion may provide temporary relief, it often reinforces the obsessive thought cycle, leading to a chronic and debilitating condition. It is important to note that tvångsfenomen are not voluntary acts but are experienced as distressing and difficult to resist. Diagnosis requires that these symptoms are time-consuming or cause clinically significant impairment.