OCD

This page is reference information compiled from the cited sources. It is not medical advice. For any decision about health, diagnosis or care, consult a qualified professional.

What it is

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder in which an individual has intrusive thoughts (an obsession) and feels the need to perform certain behaviors (compulsions) repeatedly to relieve the distress caused by the obsession, to the extent where it impairs general function. Obsessions are persistent unwanted thoughts, mental images, or urges that generate feelings of anxiety, disgust, or discomfort. Compulsions are repetitive actions performed in response to obsessions to reduce anxiety. Thoughts and behaviors in OCD are usually considered egodystonic, meaning they are inconsistent with one's ideal self-image. Many adults with OCD recognize their rituals as irrational yet continue them to reduce anxiety.

Key facts

OCD has been described since antiquity and has affected numerous notable historical and contemporary figures. The causes of OCD are multifactorial and not fully understood, involving genetic predisposition, environmental stressors such as childhood trauma, abnormalities in brain structure and neurotransmitter function, certain medications or drugs, potential autoimmune processes in some children, and possibly evolutionary factors. OCD involves abnormalities in cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical circuits and dysregulation of serotonin, dopamine, and glutamate. Diagnosis is based on clinical presentation, and rating scales such as the Yale–Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) assess severity. Compulsions occur often and typically take up at least one hour per day, impairing one's quality of life. OCD is associated with a general increase in suicidality. OCD is chronic and long-lasting with periods of severe symptoms followed by periods of improvement. The standard assessment tool for OCD, the Y-BOCS, has 13 predefined categories of symptoms, which fit into three to five groupings. A meta-analytic review found a four-factor grouping structure to be most reliable: symmetry factor, forbidden thoughts factor, cleaning factor and hoarding factor. The average age of onset of OCD is 9.6 years for boys and 11.0 years for girls, while another study found average ages of onset to be 21 and 24 for males and females respectively. All demographics and studies showed a mean age of onset of less than 25. Children with OCD often have other mental disorders, such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, and disruptive behavior disorder. The hoarding subtype has consistently been least responsive to treatment. Adults with OCD have exhibited more symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than adults without OCD.

When to seek professional help

It states that compulsions typically take up at least one hour per day, impairing one's quality of life. The source notes that OCD is associated with a general increase in suicidality. It describes that children with OCD often have other mental disorders and are more likely to struggle in school and experience difficulties in social situations. The source indicates that treatment can improve ability to function and quality of life, and is usually reflected by improved Y-BOCS scores. It also describes cases that qualify as treatment-resistant, which can require second-line treatment.

Source: Obsessive–compulsive disorder (CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikipedia)), retrieved 2026-09-02.