familydoctor.org/handouts/133.html). These obsessions commonly intrude when one is simply trying to think about or complete other tasks. The thoughts interfere with everyday obligations and serve as a barrier to the completion of these duties. The more these thoughts occur, the more they are likely to become the onset of extreme anxiety. Many of the obsessions that people have may begin to change over time. A child, for instance, will likely have different obsessions than that of a teenager. These obsessions, or problems, for a person with OCD are temporarily relieved through compulsions. .
Compulsions are the second half of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Compulsions are defined as "an irresistible impulse to perform an irrational act." They are the results of the obsessions produced anxiety. For instance, if one has a fear of germs and dirt, then, with OCD, he or she would most likely wash their hands repeatedly. Doing these things repeatedly makes the subject feel more comfortable, but only temporarily. However, once the person no longer feels comfortable, he or she will repeat the act and the vicious cycle starts all over again. Common compulsive actions include: repeatedly washing your body parts, brushing your teeth, making sure doors and drawers are shut and locked, ordering and arranging things in certain ways, counting things that they do over and over, hoarding unnecessary things when they are no longer needed, and seeking constant approval from others (www.familydoctor.org/handouts/133.html). .
Many people will confuse Obsessive Compulsive Disorder patients with everyday people who simply set higher standards for living. That type of "compulsiveness" is often used when serving a valuable purpose, contributing to a person's self-esteem and success in life or on a job site. The difference between people with just compulsive tendencies and that of an OCD patient is that a person with OCD considers these compulsions to be life-wreaking experiences.
