Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD is a mental health condition where people experience obsessions (intrusive, unwanted thoughts, images, or urges) and compulsions (repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce anxiety or prevent something bad from happening). While many people have occasional intrusive thoughts, OCD is diagnosed when these symptoms are time-consuming (typically more than one hour per day) and cause significant distress or impairment in functioning^1,3.

About 1 in 40 adults in the U.S. experience OCD at some point in their lives. Symptoms often start in childhood or adolescence and may go unrecognized for years. Women are slightly more affected than men⁴. 

Patients may not always describe their symptoms directly. Common obsessions include fears of contamination, harm, or making a mistake. Compulsions often involve handwashing, checking, counting, or arranging. Children might present with time-consuming rituals or distress when routines are disrupted. The DSM-5-TR criteria require that obsessions and/or compulsions be distressing, repetitive, and interfere with daily functioning. Tools like the Y-BOCS (or CY-BOCS for children) can help assess severity².

Treatment options

• Therapy: The first-line treatment is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).
• Medication: SSRIs like fluoxetine or sertraline are effective, often at higher doses than used for depression. Clomipramine is another option, though with more side effects³.
• Referral: Moderate to severe or treatment-resistant cases benefit from early referral to a mental health specialist.