Cognitive Behaviour Therapist

It can be useful to look separately at obsessions and then compulsions. With obsessions, the symptoms include bursts of:
• Words
• Ideas
• Indecision
• Images
• Doubts

The person experiencing them recognises that these thought patterns come from within their own mind and wants to stop them, but is unable to. The obsessions can be of a quite distressing nature - sexual, violent or blasphemous - and in conflict with the person's own moral beliefs.

Compulsions are often the actions resulting from the obsession, and one of the few ways that the person can deal with the thoughts and keep the anxiety or discomfort away.

Failure to complete the compulsion often results in severe anxiety or panic - but continuing to try to live with the rituals often leads to depression. Many people live with the OCD for years before seeking treatment. The kinds of compulsions that people experience are:
• Rituals - doing things in a certain order or a set number of times
• Cleaning
• Checking tasks that have already been completed
• Needing cutlery or furniture, and so on, to be arranged in a certain way

These compulsions can take many forms, and this list covers only the most common ones.