Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a disorder involving frequent fears, worries, thoughts and urges that distract and distress the people who have them. These obsessions are accompanied by ritualistic behavior (compulsion) that causes the person to enter a cycle of repeated attempts to satisfy the obsession. Other disorders in this category involve repeated body-focused behaviors (such as hair pulling or skin picking) despite attempts to stop.

Disorders like this have their own grouping for healthcare providers. They include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), body dysmorphic disorder, hoarding disorder, hair-pulling disorder, and skin-picking disorder. Anxiety is typically a symptom with these disorders; however, the obsession and compulsions are unique and cause these disorders to be grouped in their own chapter.

People often double-check door locks, pick at their skin, or pull-out gray hairs. This is normal behavior and part of life, and people will generally return to daily activities without much thought afterwards. On the contrary, people with OCD are often enslaved to their obsession or compulsion. These repeated behaviors or concerns will take over the persons everyday life and will impair their ability to complete normal daily life.

Similar treatments exist for these disorders and contain a mixture of antidepressant medications and some form of psychotherapy (talk therapy) otherwise known as cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT).