What is OCD, in simple terms?
A direct answer, plus the context behind it.
Short answer
OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, is a cycle of unwanted, intrusive thoughts and the compulsions or rituals people feel driven to perform to ease the distress those thoughts cause.
The relief from a compulsion is temporary, which is why the cycle tends to repeat and can take over significant time.
OCD is not about being tidy. It is a specific, treatable clinical pattern.
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