What is an obsession when considering OCD?

OCD obsessions are repeated, persistent and unwanted thoughts, urges or images that are intrusive and cause distress or anxiety. You might try to ignore them or get rid of them by performing a compulsive behavior or ritual. These obsessions typically intrude when you’re trying to think of or do other things.

Can OCD make you obsess over past mistakes?

While most types of OCD cause a person to fixate on feared future-oriented events, someone with real events OCD experiences intense anxiety over what they did or potentially could have done in the past.

Can OCD obsessions be about anything?

Obsessions. Obsessions are recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that cause distressing emotions such as anxiety or disgust. Many people with OCD recognize that the thoughts, impulses, or images are a product of their mind and are excessive or unreasonable.

What area of the brain is affected by OCD?

Three brain areas – the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and the head of the caudate nucleus – have been consistently implicated in a large number of resting, symptom provocation, and pre/post-treatment studies of adults with OCD.

How many obsessions do people with OCD have?

Researchers in the US, UK and Canada have shown that up-to 80\% of people report unwanted intrusive thoughts with content that is often identical to that of obsessions found in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder….What are obsessions?

Obsession	Percentage
Thoughts of violence or aggression (e.g. stabbing one’s baby)	4.30\%

How do you fight real events in OCD?

The most common treatments for real event OCD include:

1. Medication. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are sometimes prescribed for people with OCD.
2. Psychotherapy.
3. Exposure and response (ERP) therapy.