What Is are Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders?

Summary: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is much more than just liking things neat and tidy. It involves unwanted, stressful thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive actions (compulsions) that take up hours of a person's day.

There are also several related conditions that affect how people function. Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) makes people obsess over tiny or imagined flaws in how they look. Trichotillomania is an uncontrollable urge to pull out hair, and Excoriation is severe skin picking. Some people even have Olfactory Reference Disorder, where they wrongly believe they smell bad.

These aren't just bad habits or vanity; they are real medical conditions that can ruin a person's social life, career, and happiness. The good news is that they are highly treatable. Doctors usually use a mix of specialized talk therapy (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and medications to help people get their lives back.

For more details, see rssapp-psychiatry-org-newsroom at psychiatry.org/patients-families/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/what-is-obsessive-compulsive-disorder (opens in new tab)