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OCD Specialist

Thriving Center of Psychology

Psychologists located in Midtown, New York, NY, SoHo, NY, Minneapolis, MN, Portland, OR, Princeton, NJ, Los Angeles, CA & Miami, FL

In the United States alone, as many as one in 40 adults and one in 100 children struggle with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms, including excessive cleaning or arranging objects in a particular pattern. If you have obsessions or compulsions that are taking over your life, contact Thriving Center of Psychology in Midtown and Soho, NYC, Los Angeles, CA, Minneapolis, MN, Portland, OR, Princeton, NJ, and Miami, FL for an evaluation. You can book your OCD appointment online or call the offices directly to speak with a team member.

OCD Q & A

What are the symptoms of OCD?

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic condition that leads to recurring obsessions (thoughts) and compulsions (behaviors) that interfere with your relationships, work functions, hobbies, and daily life.

If you have OCD, you may experience repeated obsessions, such as:

Extreme fear of germs
Strong need to have things in perfect order
Angry or aggressive thoughts about yourself or others
Unwanted thoughts of taboo issues, such as sex or religion

OCD also leads to compulsions that leave you with an unavoidable urge to do something, such as:

Compulsive counting
Excessive cleaning, showering, or handwashing
Frequently rearranging things or changing their order
Checking on things repeatedly, like ensuring the door is locked again and again

It’s common for anyone to have obsessions or compulsions from time to time. But with OCD, these traits become so strong you seem to have no control over your thoughts or actions.

Why do I have OCD?

OCD is most commonly diagnosed by age 19, although you can certainly go years without a proper diagnosis and not know about your condition until later in life. If you have OCD, it could be caused by or related to:

Family history of OCD
Brain function abnormalities
History of physical or sexual abuse
Exposure to trauma at an early age

No matter what causes your OCD, or how minor or infrequent your symptoms are, it’s important to get started on treatment at Thriving Center of Psychology. After all, poorly managed OCD can lower your quality of life.