C is for Compulsions
This is the easiest part to understand of OCD because it is usually the most visible. OCD is a vicious cycle that consists of obsessions that result in compulsions. The compulsions are to alleviate the anxiety caused by the obsession. Here are a few examples of how this might look.
Obsession: I don’t want to get sick/I am scared of getting sick.
Compulsion: Washing your hands or using hand sanitizer.
Obsession: I forgot to lock the car door.
Compulsion: Double- or triple-checking the car door to make sure it’s locked.
Now, these are both good things to worry about, right? You don’t want to get sick and you don’t want to forget to lock the car door. It’s good to wash your hands and double-check that it’s locked. However, when you are spending too much time on these compulsions, that’s where it becomes a problem.
Compulsions can also be mental, meaning you can’t see them at all. This is when you get people who don’t “look like they have OCD” because you can’t see their compulsions.
Obsession: I am a bad person.
Compulsion: Repeatedly going over and over your past actions to see whether or not you meet the criteria for being a bad person.
Obsession: Worrying that you will scream something offensive.
Compulsion: Not talking at all because you are afraid of what will come out of your mouth.
The mental compulsions can be the hardest ones to kick because it’s so easy to just do them automatically. It’s important to work on lessening compulsions, because they will NEVER relieve the anxiety caused by the obsessions. It might temporarily help! But OCD is a vicious cycle and the compulsions will never truly work. It will only help for the moment and cause you to spiral right back into obsession.