Julie can t sleep at night. She is constantly running the day s events through her head. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are persistent and intrusive thoughts, ideas and impulses.
Compulsions are repeated behaviors, patterns and rituals that reduce anxiety caused by obsessions.
For example, a person afraid of germs may perform anxiety-reducing rituals such as repeatedly washing their hands, washing their hands in scalding water or refusing to touch anything without covering their hands with gloves or a tissue. There are many theories for what causes obsessive-compulsive disorder. Sigmund Freud explained it as a battle between the id and ego, or the pleasure and reality aspects of the personality. Another explanation is that the behavior is learned. The ritual, therefore, is reinforced, and they re likely to do it again.