#shawleveryday2019 Day 11

Many people have heard of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), but it is often misunderstood. The two main components of OCD are obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that trigger intensely distressing feelings. Compulsions are behaviors an individual engages in to attempt to get rid of the obsessions and/or decrease his or her distress.

Examples of obsessions include:

• germs/disease

• fear of acting on an impulse to harm oneself or others

• concern about evenness or exactness

• inability to decide whether to keep or discard things

• unwanted sexual thoughts

• superstitions about lucky/unlucky numbers/colors

Examples of compulsions include:

• excessive hand washing or showering

• checking that you did not/will not harm yourself/others

• repeating routine activities (such as going in and out of a door, getting up and down from a chair)

• repeating activities in multiples so that it lands on a "good/safe/right" number

• counting while performing a task to end on a "good/safe/right" number

• putting things in order or arranging things until it "feels right"

One of the most important aspects of OCD is that these things are unwanted and interfere with a person's daily life or values. It's more than just "liking things a particular way", it's more like "I have to do things a particular way before leaving the house and it makes me late for work" sort of thing. So please think twice before saying "oh man, I'm so OCD about that", as that is likely untrue and is dismissive of people who truly have a mental health issue.

You can get more info from the International OCD Foundation.

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