The inability to avoid impulsive thoughts and those recurring behaviors that serve to calm them down is one of the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, known by its acronym OCD. Although the last word to confirm your diagnosis will always be from authorized medical personnel, to whom you should go in case you have suspicions.
This disorder can manifest itself in various ways, either by focusing on contamination or hygiene, fear of losing control, taboos, worry of having accidents or a need for extreme order. But, usually, the obsessions and their consequent compulsions represent a common characteristic.
Obsessive compulsive disorder is characterized by manifesting itself in two different ways: compulsions and obsessions. These terms tend to be confused or used as synonyms, when the reality is that they are two different things. Dr. Sergio Oliveros Calvo explains what each of them consists of.
On the one hand, obsessions represent ideas or images that appear in an intrusive way in the consciousness of the person who suffers from them. Despite being aware that these are absurd thoughts, the attempt to get rid of them and remove them from the mind causes the generation of a high level of anxiety.
These concerns may have to do with very disparate issues. Some of the most frequent are related to germs and disease, order and organization, or fears related to committing inappropriate or immoral acts. Such as giving in to intrusive thoughts, acting violently towards others, behaving incorrectly or blasphemously, according to their religious beliefs, and even presenting thoughts about certain sexual aspects.
On the other hand, compulsions are behaviors, specifically it is a ritualized behavior that the patient undertakes in order to calm an obsession. The urge to do so is uncontrollable, so it cannot be suppressed. The expert differentiates between motor compulsions, such as obsessive hand washing, or also mental ones, which manifest themselves in various ways, either in the form of counting or praying.
Compulsions can take different forms. One of them is verification, in which behaviors are given such as making sure that the door is closed, that a job does not contain errors, that the electrical appliances are turned off, or that the body does not show any kind of alarm signal. health related. There are also those related to cleaning, such as avoiding touching objects or people and undertaking marathon home cleaning routines. Or order, arranging everything according to a specific pattern or repeating movements a specific number of times. Among many other behaviors.
