When people have a diagnosis of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) their symptoms are serious enough that they interfere with daily functioning.
Society uses the term OCD loosely but it is a serious condition, with symptoms ranging from relatively mild to severe. If before leaving home you need to double-check that the iron is unplugged, that’s normal. If you have to unplug every appliance in the house each time you go out, that’s a real problem.
With OCD, obsessions and compulsions take up a considerable amount of time, generally an hour or more each day. People struggle with intrusive, unwanted and upsetting thoughts, images or impulses. These occur repeatedly, even when someone knows they don’t make sense. There may be a need to get things “just right” in order to temporarily relieve a feeling of discomfort or agitation. Those with OCD engage in compulsions—repetitive behaviors—to avoid a situation that triggers their obsessions or to make an obsession go away.
Symptoms of OCD can interfere with relationships, career, academics and self-worth. A diagnosis is made by a physician or mental health provider.
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