Common understanding of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder takes into consideration many of the physical compulsions or rituals of the person dealing with the disorder. The mental compulsions or mental rituals, however, are separate from those physical ones. Mental compulsions involve “doing something in one’s head in response to an obsession in order to prevent a feared outcome, or to reduce the anxiety that the obsession causes.”
Common types of mental rituals may also include:
- Reassuring that everything is okay
- Wishing something to be different
- Silently repeating significant words or phrases
- Counting
- Making mental lists
- Reviewing conversations, thoughts, feelings, or actions
- “Undoing” something in the mind
- Erasing mental images associated with negative
To learn more about mental compulsions and treatment options, read the full article by Seth J. Gillihan Ph.D here.