Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is one of the top three most common mental disorders, making it important to understand and treat effectively.
What Is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder where an individual has recurrent and unwanted thoughts (obsessions), engages in repetitive behaviours (compulsions), or both.
Obsessions are recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are experienced as intrusive and unwanted, and typically cause marked anxiety or distress.
Compulsions are repetitive behaviours or mental acts that cause individuals to perform, often in response to an obsession, in an attempt to reduce the distress.
Types Of OCD
OCD looks different for every person. While anything can develop into OCD, it can be generally categorised into four different types:
1. Checking OCD
Individuals with this OCD subtype fear causing harm to themselves or others. This leads to repetitive checking behaviours, ensuring that they are correct, ordered or safe, to prevent negative outcomes. This is the most common form of compulsion, affecting as many as 80% of individuals suffering from OCD.
2. Contamination/Cleaning OCD
Contamination/ Cleaning OCD occurs when an individual has a persistent fear of contamination and engages in repetitive cleaning and washing behaviours to try to alleviate the anxiety.
3. Symmetry and Ordering OCD
Symmetry and Ordering OCD is when individuals are preoccupied with symmetry and order (not specific to only objects), resulting in compulsions that involve organising, counting and arranging to achieve a sense of “just right”.
4. Taboo Thoughts OCD
Taboo Thoughts OCD is marked by an individual having repeated and unwanted thoughts, mental images or urges that may be sexual, violent and blasphemous in nature, that cause them significant distress and anxiety.
Symptoms Of OCD
While OCD can look different for everyone, some common obsessions include:
- Harm: fear of causing harm to oneself or others, whether accidentally or intentionally
- Contamination: fear of dirt, germs, body fluids, or any other contaminants
- Order and symmetry: need for things to be aligned perfectly, arranged in a specific way or symmetrical
Some common compulsions include:
- Washing and cleaning: excessive showering, handwashing or cleaning.
- Checking: repeatedly checking stoves, locks, switches, and appliances to ensure safety.
- Ordering and arranging: organising or arranging things in a particular and precise manner.
Causes Of OCD
While experts are not sure of the exact causes of OCD, it is thought that genetics, brain abnormalities and the environment may play a role.
OCD often starts in teens or early adulthood, but it can also affect children. It affects both men and women and appears to run in families.
1. Genetics
Studies have shown that those with first-degree relatives (parents, siblings) with OCD are at a significantly higher risk of developing the disorder themselves.
2. Brain Abnormalities
Some imaging studies have found that those with OCD may have differences in brain activities in areas that are involved in response inhibition and emotional regulation. Moreover, neurochemical imbalances, such as with serotonin, can also be involved.
3. Environment
Environmental stressors can be a significant factor in developing OCD. These can include abuse, neglect, childhood trauma and major life changes. These can trigger OCD symptoms in those who already have a genetic factor or a neurological basis for OCD.
In some rare cases, children can develop sudden-onset OCD after developing streptococcal infections (PANDAS)
When To Seek Help?
If you are regularly experiencing symptoms of OCD that start impacting your daily life, such as interfering with relationships, work, daily routines or school, you should seek help.
You do not need to be severely impaired or get worse to seek help; the earlier the treatment begins, the better OCD can be managed.
Some signs to look for:
- Spending more than one hour a day on obsessions or compulsions
- Inability to control your obsessions and compulsions, even when you know they are excessive
- Avoiding people, situations or places due to obsessions or compulsions
- Feeling significantly distressed or ashamed about your obsessions and compulsions
- Difficulty functioning in everyday activities due to these thoughts and behaviours
How Can Us Help You?
Experienced Therapists
Our processes and quality assurance is led by Dr.Emma Waddington, a UK-trained senior clinician psychologist and Founder of Us Therapy, with over 20+ years of experience in helping individuals in Singapore.
Holistic & Personalised Approach
Our clinicians draw from various therapeutic models to create a holistic approach. At Us, we have seen hundreds of clients and we recognise that each individual is unique. Our approach is tailored to you but always includes customised treatment plans and integrative techniques.
Thorough Assessment
At Us, we pride ourselves on our comprehensive assessment processes. We will undergo a thorough assessment process with you in your first sessions before we come up with a plan for your therapy.
Our Therapists
Therapy Approaches
The two main treatments for OCD are therapy and medication. Combining medication and ERP is usually the gold standard of treatment for OCD.
Exposure Response Prevention Therapy (ERP)
ERP is a specific type of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) that can effectively reduce compulsive behaviours. This therapy involves individuals with OCD to gradually expose themselves to situations that trigger their obsessions, and prevent them from engaging in compulsive behaviours.
Medication
Consult a professional to determine the appropriate medication.
What To Expect
Initial Consultation – A Space to Be Heard
The first session is all about getting to know you. It is a conversation—one where you can share what is been on your mind, what has been feeling difficult, and what you would like support with. Your therapist will ask questions about your background, experiences, and goals, but there is no pressure to answer any questions—just a safe space to begin.
Questionnaires & Onboarding Surveys – Understanding the Full Picture
To help tailor therapy to your needs, you may be asked to fill out some brief questionnaires before or after your first session. These can give insight into things like mood, stress levels, relationship patterns, or coping strategies. They are not tests—just tools to help your therapist understand how best to support you.
Individual Therapy Sessions – Your Journey at Your Own Pace
Each session is a step forward in your journey. Therapy is not just about talking—it is about discovering new ways to navigate life’s challenges, make sense of emotions, and feel like you are getting the most out of your life. Depending on your needs, sessions may focus on:
- Exploring patterns of thought and behavior
- Understanding past experiences and their impact on the present
- Developing practical coping tools
- Strengthening emotional resilience
Feedback Sessions – Reflecting and Adjusting
After the first few sessions (or after assessments), a feedback session provides space to reflect on how therapy is going. This is a chance to talk about what has been helpful, what you would like more of, and how therapy can continue to best serve you.
Intervention – The Heart of Therapy
Intervention is where meaningful change happens. Every therapy journey is unique, and the approach will be shaped around what works best for you. Some common approaches include:
🌱 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – Helping to identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns, reduce anxiety, and develop healthier ways to cope and new patterns of behaviour.
🧠 Schema Therapy – Deep, transformational work to uncover long-standing patterns that might be keeping you stuck, often rooted in early life experiences.
💙 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – Learning to handle difficult emotions with self-compassion and move towards what truly matters in life.
🌊 Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) – A powerful approach for healing trauma and distressing memories, helping the brain reprocess them in a way that feels less overwhelming.
🧘 Mindfulness-Based Approaches – Building self-awareness, grounding techniques, and ways to manage stress and emotions with greater ease.
Recovery takes time, but many people see significant improvements within a few weeks to months.
Living With OCD
While living with OCD can be challenging, there are multiple ways to manage it .If you have OCD:
- Delay or reduce your rituals: even small steps, such as waiting a few minutes before doing the compulsion, can help begin the break of your OCD cycle
- Track your triggers: notice where and when you feel your OCD symptoms are heightened, which can help you take back control
- Be kind to yourself: recovery takes time, progress is not perfection, and any progress is valuable!
If you live with someone who has OCD
- Learn about OCD together: understanding the conditions increases empathy and establishes healthy boundaries
- Avoid being involved in rituals or providing constant reassurance: though it may feel helpful, it can reinforce OCD
- Offer support without enabling behaviours: acknowledge their distress without feeding into their compulsions
With the right tools, people with OCD can live full, meaningful lives.
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$310
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