Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Symptoms

Definition

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms refer to recurring and unwanted thoughts, images, or urges (obsessions), as well as repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) that individuals with OCD feel compelled to perform. These symptoms can significantly interfere with daily life.

Related terms

Unconscious conflicts: According to Freud's psychoanalytic theory, OCD symptoms may arise from unresolved unconscious conflicts between different parts of the mind.

Defense mechanisms: Freud believed that individuals with OCD use defense mechanisms such as isolation and undoing as a way of dealing with their anxiety caused by obsessions and compulsions.

Psychosexual stages: Freud proposed that experiences during certain stages of psychosexual development could contribute to the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms later in life.