The OCD Spike is a three-step process. The first is “Trigger” which is often seen in an individual in the form of a physical or social world. The second is the activation of obsession wherein your thoughts, feelings, etc. get stressful, and the last stage is the feeling of distress. These 3 events – “trigger”, “activation of obsession”, and the “distress” are often considered as a single event termed as – the spike.