We don't simply list them, but give you a guide to the dozens of resources from which to choose. There are dozens of national and international support organizations available, which can send you additional educational materials about this disorder and point you to local support groups in your community. There are a growing number of online support groups which you can join where you can share your thoughts and feelings grappling with OCD with others who also deal with it everyday. We provide you with a complete listing here. The obsessive thoughts range from the idea of losing control, to themes surrounding religion or keeping things or parts of one's body clean all the time.
Compulsions are behaviors which help reduce the anxiety surrounding the obsessions.
The thoughts and behaviors a person with OCD has are senseless, repetitive, distressing, and sometimes harmful, but they are also difficult to overcome. OCD is more common than schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or panic disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Yet it is still commonly overlooked by both mental health professionals, mental health advocacy groups, and people who themselves have the problem. Many people still carry the misperception that they somehow caused themselves to have these compulsive behaviors and obsessive thoughts. Nothing could be further from the truth.