Obsessions and compulsions so manifest

Express some behaviors such as obsessions and compulsions are characteristic symptoms of OCD, but what do we mean when we speak of psychiatrists obsessions and compulsions?

What are obsessions?

The psychiatry defines obsession as parasites thoughts that we recognize as their own, because they are thoughts that appear in our consciousness without which we evoked and persist despite our effort to get rid of them. It is also said to be ego-dystonic, because we generate discomfort: stress, anxiety, fear, difficulty concentrating, moral scruples, doubt, disgust, etc.

We recognize it as their own because, despite the strangeness of these thoughts, not interpret them as imposed from outside (as may occur in psychosis). This feature means that, in general, who have this disorder have a good awareness of the disease of this kind of thinking.

Compulsions, obsessions result

Compulsions are usually motor acts (although they can also be thought as reciting a phrase, song, prayer, etc.). What defines a compulsion is their purpose, which is to neutralize the discomfort caused by the obsession; because, through compulsion, psychic tension generated by the obsession relieved.

How do I know if I have obsessions or compulsions?

The most common obsessions are pollution, for example, concerns have acquired germs by touching a doorknob. These are followed by cleaning compulsions as conscientiously sanitized hands even with products that can become abrasive.

In many cases the relationship between obsession and compulsion is more complex because, between them, may not ningúnn logical connection is established. For example, a fear of choking if you eat foods with certain characteristics (obsession) and to neutralize resort to mentally recite some primes (compulsion). Another example is the fear to die at night (obsession) if before bed not turn on and turn off the lights five times (compulsion).