a need for symmetry or orderliness – for example, you may feel the need to ensure all the labels on the tins in your cupboard face the same way.fear of contamination by disease, infection or an unpleasant substance.fear of harming yourself or others by mistake – for example, fear you may set the house on fire by leaving the cooker on.fear of deliberately harming yourself or others – for example, fear you may attack someone else, such as your children.Some common obsessions that affect people with OCD include: Obsessive thoughtsĪlmost everyone has unpleasant or unwanted thoughts at some point, such as thinking they may have forgotten to lock the door of the house, or even sudden unwelcome violent or offensive mental images.īut if you have a persistent, unpleasant thought that dominates your thinking to the extent it interrupts other thoughts, you may have an obsession. It's possible to just have obsessive thoughts or just have compulsions, but most people with OCD experience both. The compulsive behaviour temporarily relieves the anxiety, but the obsession and anxiety soon return, causing the cycle to begin again. compulsions – repetitive behaviours or mental acts that a person with OCD feels driven to perform as a result of the anxiety and distress caused by the obsession.emotions – the obsession causes a feeling of intense anxiety or distress.obsessions – where an unwanted, intrusive and often distressing thought, image or urge repeatedly enters your mind.Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) affects people differently, but usually causes a particular pattern of thoughts and behaviours.

Define obsessed