Reflections Counseling of Denton

What Compulsions Are:

• Repetitive behaviors or thoughts that a person engages in to neutralize, counteract, or make their obsessions go away.
• People with OCD realize this is only a temporary solution, but without a better way to cope, they rely on the compulsion as a temporary escape.
• Compulsions can also include avoiding situations that trigger obsessions.
• Compulsions are time consuming and get in the way of important activities the person values.

What Compulsions Are Not:

• Not all repetitive behaviors or "rituals" are compulsions. For example, bedtime routines, religious practices, and learning a new skill involve repeating an activity over and over again are a welcome part of daily life.
• Behaviors depend on the context: Arranging and ordering DVDs for eight hours a day isn't a compulsion if the person works in a video store.

http://www.ocfoundation.org/o_c.aspx