Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Distressing intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviours that can take over daily life, yet respond well to specialist treatment.
WHAT IS IT?
OCD is characterised by two key features: obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that enter the mind repeatedly and cause significant distress. Common themes include fears around contamination, harm, symmetry, or unwanted sexual or religious thoughts. They often feel shocking or entirely out of character and that is precisely what makes them so distressing.
Compulsions are the repetitive behaviours or mental acts carried out in an attempt to neutralise the anxiety caused by obsessions such as washing, checking, counting, or seeking reassurance. These provide only temporary relief and, over time, actually strengthen OCD by reinforcing the fear that triggered them.
WHAT MIGHT YOU NOTICE?
OCD can be extremely varied in how it presents, and many people suffer in silence for years, feeling embarrassed or worried that their intrusive thoughts reflect something terrible about them. Having an intrusive thought and wanting to act on it are entirely different things. OCD is an illness, not a reflection of your character.
The compulsive behaviours whether visible actions or mental rituals typically consume significant time and energy, causing distress and disrupting work, relationships, and daily routines.
Common symptoms include:
Intrusive, unwanted thoughts, images or urges
Repetitive checking behaviours
Excessive washing or cleaning
A need for symmetry or exactness
Counting, tapping or repeating rituals
Mental compulsions (e.g. praying, mental reviewing)
Reassurance-seeking from others
Avoidance of triggers
Significant time lost to obsessions and rituals
WHICH TREATMENT OPTIONS ARE AVAILIBLE?
OCD is very treatable with the right approach. The most effective treatment is a specific form of CBT called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), in which you are supported to face anxiety-provoking situations without engaging in the compulsive response. This is done gradually and collaboratively.
Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP): ERP is the evidence-based psychological treatment for OCD. You gradually confront feared situations while resisting compulsive responses, breaking the cycle that maintains OCD.
Medication (SSRIs): Serotonin reuptake inhibitors, typically at higher doses than used for depression are effective in reducing OCD symptoms and are often used alongside therapy.
Psychoeducation: Understanding OCD (why intrusive thoughts occur and how compulsions maintain the cycle ) is itself therapeutic and helps you approach treatment with confidence.
Family Support: Family members often become involved in OCD rituals without realising it. We help families understand OCD and adjust their responses in ways that genuinely support recovery.
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