OCD

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Definition: having a tendency towards excessive orderliness, perfectionism, and great attention to detail.

Common obsessive thoughts in OCD include:

Fear of being contaminated by germs or dirt or contaminating others

Fear of losing control and harming yourself or others

Intrusive sexually explicit or violent thoughts and images

Excessive focus on religious or moral ideas

Fear of losing or not having things you might need

Order and symmetry: the idea that everything must line up “just right”

Superstitions; excessive attention to something considered lucky or unlucky

Common compulsive behaviors in OCD include:

Excessive double-checking of things, such as locks, appliances, and switches

Repeatedly checking in on loved ones to make sure they’re safe

Counting, tapping, repeating certain words, or doing other senseless things to reduce anxiety

Spending a lot of time washing or cleaning

Ordering or arranging things “just so”

Praying excessively or engaging in rituals triggered by religious fear

Accumulating “junk” such as old newspapers or empty food containers

1. Neat and Tidy
steryotype: People with OCD are neat and tidy.

Fact: The stereotype about OCD is that people with the disorder are just very neat and organized individuals, who are tidy to a fault. This is not OCD, and in actuality, nothing could be further from the truth. Although many people with OCD wash because they are concerned about dirt and germs, being tidy is actually not a typical symptom of the disorder. In fact, up to two-thirds of people with OCD are also hoarders, which means that they accumulate so many unneeded items that the junk gets in the way of living space.
                                                                                                                         2. Just Obsessions
stereotype: Many people with OCD are "pure-O," which means they have no compulsions.

Fact: Nearly everyone with OCD has both obsessions and compulsions. Some people have mostly mental compulsions, such as mental counting or mental list-making or silent prayers. Some have covert means of checking, such as examining vital signs for any hints of illness. These types of compulsions can give the illusion of someone with only obsessions.                                                                                                                                                      341 words                                                                                                

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