Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric condition that causes people to have distressing and repetitive thoughts (obsessions) that often lead to an action they feel the need to perform (compulsions). They may need to perform these compulsions once or in repetition until they feel more at ease. To perform these compulsions is very troubling and bothersome to the individual (Ego-dystonic). Obsessions and compulsions can and do vary from person to person. Doctors usually characterize OCD into specific categories or clusters. People often experience symptoms from several different categories, which can evolve over time or change from one category to another.
Organization Subtype
- The most recognizable form of OCD.
- Involves obsessions about things being in exactly the right place or symmetrical
- For example, someone may feel the need to have all wall hangings level, all labels on cans in the pantry face in one direction or coffee cups in the same direction
- If the person doesn’t perform the compulsions they might experience distress as OCD is ego-dystonic, the person does not like performing the compulsion, it bothers them.
- Some extreme cases one may have thoughts that the lack of organization will cause some unrelated harm to them or their loved ones (if I don’t perform this organizational task a loved one would become ill)