OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition where you experience unwanted, repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and feel driven to carry out certain behaviours or rituals (compulsions) to relieve the anxiety those thoughts cause.

Despite what many people think, OCD is not about being clean or liking things neat. The obsessions can be about anything — harm, contamination, religion, relationships, symmetry, or fears that feel deeply shameful. The compulsions (checking, washing, counting, repeating, seeking reassurance) give temporary relief — but they quickly feed the cycle rather than break it.

OCD affects around 750,000 people in the UK. It can be severe and exhausting, but it responds well to the right treatment.

Common signs of OCD:
- Recurring intrusive thoughts, images, or urges you do not want and cannot dismiss
- Feeling compelled to carry out rituals to reduce the anxiety those thoughts cause
- Spending significant time on obsessions and compulsions — often an hour or more each day
- The rituals provide only short-term relief, and the anxiety returns
- The cycle interferes with work, relationships, or daily life
- Feeling ashamed or secretive about the thoughts or behaviours

What actually helps:

The most effective treatment for OCD is a therapy called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) — a form of CBT. It involves gradually facing feared situations without carrying out the compulsion, which slowly breaks the cycle. It is hard, but it genuinely works.

Doing more compulsions makes OCD worse over time, not better. Every time you manage to resist a compulsion — even briefly — you are weakening OCD's hold.

When to seek help:

OCD is rarely managed without professional support — please do not try to push through it alone. Speak to your GP and ask specifically for ERP therapy or a referral to a specialist OCD service. Self-referral to NHS Talking Therapies is available in England. OCD-UK also has an excellent self-assessment tool and can help you understand what you are experiencing.

UK support:
OCD-UK — 03332 127 890 or www.ocduk.org
OCD Action — 0845 390 6232 or www.ocdaction.org.uk
Mind — 0300 123 3393
NHS Talking Therapies — www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies

Sources: NHS (nhs.uk), Mind.org.uk, OCD-UK, NICE guidelines on OCD