What are signs and symptoms of OCD?
The two key signs/symptoms of OCD are obsessions and compulsions. We’re going to cover both obsessions and compulsions in more detail in the posts to follow in this miniseries, but for now, consider the following example: Kay is convinced everything in the world around her is covered in disease-carrying and potentially deadly germs. To fight off these germs, Kay washes her hands immediately after touching anything. Sounds semi-innocent, right? Kay knows there are germs out there so she washes her hands to prevent getting sick and spreading diseases. But there’s more to OCD than the lame, yet tried-and-true, hand-washing example I’ve given you. Kay is not only aware of the germs surrounding her; she’s obsessed with them. Kay not only washes her hands to prevent sickness; she has a compulsion to wash her hands after she touches anything. This is when OCD can become crippling and even cause Kay to show/suffer from more signs and symptoms. For example, Kay may: • Spend a significant amount
