What is OCD?

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted obsessions and compulsions. Jerry Bubrick, PhD, with the Child Mind Institute, elaborates on the disorder.

Transcript

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So in kind of typical sense, if I touch something that I think is dirty, I might have an obsession

00:06

that I'm going to get sick, or these germs are going to spread illness to you. [SENSITIVE MUSIC]

00:22

OCD is defined as an anxiety disorder where people have obsessions, which are unwanted intrusive thoughts, images, or impulses that

00:32

cause anxiety, and then compulsions, which are kind of acts that people engage in

00:39

to reduce the anxiety from the obsessions. So in kind of typical sense, if I touch something

00:48

that I think is dirty, I might have an obsession that I'm going to get sick, or these germs are going to spread illness to you and that cause--

00:54

I don't want that thought, but when it comes, it really makes me feel very anxious.

01:00

And then I would do a variety of things to get rid of the anxiety from those obsessions, like I might wash my hands, or I might not touch-- touch that thing again.

01:08

So there's a variety of things I could do in the moment to make me better but not realizing that long term, every time I do that, the anxiety gets worse.