Why doesn an individual with OCD “just stop” their behavior?
Most truly wish they could. Probably the biggest reason why they do not “just stop” is anxiety. The person with OCD suffers intense anxiety over whatever their symptoms focus upon. They want to “make sure” that whatever they are focusing upon is taken care of. OCD is a disease of doubt, therefore the person with OCD feels they can never be sure that whatever it is is really taken care of. Often this will show in the form of a compulsion such as hand washing. The person cannot, no matter how hard they try, feel that their hands are really clean. There is always a “what if” such as “what if I missed a teeny tiny little spot?” and so they continue to wash — just in case. With a compulsion, the anxiety rises to unbearable and terrifying levels if the compulsion is not allowed to take place.
