Obsessions are thoughts, feelings, urges that result in great discomfort

Compulsions are strategies that people use to decrease or neutralize discomfort.

Mental compulsions or rituals are mental strategies that people use in order to undo the feeling associated with the obsession.

In order to meet the criteria for a diagnosis of OCD, a person must spend 1 hour a day in either mental or behavioral ritual or the obsession must cause great distress and/or it must cause significant problems in their life.

OCD has an impact of the individual's family and other systems of support.