Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental health condition marked by intrusive, unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors performed to reduce the distress they cause.

Obsessions are recurring thoughts, images or urges, such as fears of contamination, doubts about having locked a door, or a need for symmetry. Compulsions are the rituals that follow, such as washing, checking, counting or arranging, which bring only temporary relief and consume significant time. The disorder usually begins in adolescence or early adulthood and affects men and women at similar rates.

Diagnosis is made through a clinical interview, often supported by the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, which rates the time, distress and interference caused by symptoms. Established care includes cognitive behavioral therapy with exposure and response prevention, and certain prescription medications. Cannabinoids have been examined only in very small preliminary studies, and there is no approved use for this disorder.