Obsessive & Compulsive Thoughts & Behaviours

Do you have thoughts that bother you and disrupt your life? Do you feel like you have to do certain things even if you don’t want to? Do you need to organize things or move in specific ways during your day? If so, you may be experiencing obsessive thinking or behaviour.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is different for everyone. Some people have unwanted thoughts, while others feel like they have to do things in a certain way. Not everyone has both.

If you’re reading this, you might have been diagnosed with OCD or be worried about patterns in your life that are bothering you. Both obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours are related to anxiety and are an attempt to manage it.

Defining OCD: What Are Obsessive and Compulsive Thoughts and Behaviours?

Obsessive or compulsive thoughts and behaviours can be different for everyone. For example, some people feel like they have to check things repeatedly, such as stoves or locks, which can take up a lot of time. Others have disturbing thoughts that distract them from important tasks.

The compulsive thought or behaviour is an effort to cope. It temporarily relieves anxiety. However, the unwanted thought or fear inevitably returns, leading toward the need to undo or neutralize the danger again.

What Are Examples of OCD Thoughts and Behaviours?

Common persistent and obsessive thoughts might include:

• fears of infection or contamination
• fears of mistakenly harming yourself or others, e.g., by leaving the house unsecured or appliances on
• fears of losing control and hurting yourself or others physically
• persistent need to create order or symmetry, e.g., by arranging items in your home so that they are straight or even, such as by colours, sizes, labels, etc.

Compulsive behaviours might include:

• checking – locks, appliances
• cleaning
• counting
• repeating words or phrases
• ordering
• avoiding situations or places that could trigger anxieties or obsessive thinking
• frequent requests for reassurance
• performing neutralizing actions or thinking correcting thoughts to counteract 
“wrong” or “bad” thoughts or behaviours

Feeling like you need to be in control or avoid risks can limit your ability to live the way you want. The anxiety behind these experiences can prevent you from being relaxed and spontaneous.

 How Do Therapists Work with Obsessive and Compulsive Thoughts and Behaviours or OCD?

Seeing a therapist to address obsessions or compulsions may involve:

• Identifying your obsessions and/or compulsions and noting what triggers them
• Exploring possible origins for your thoughts and/or behaviours in your past
• Getting in touch with and expressing emotions related to anxiety
• Recruiting medical or community-based resources if necessary
• Gradually experimenting with spontaneous ways of thinking and acting

 Additional Help and Resources for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has an excellent profile of and resource guide for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (PDF).