Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Eating Disorders

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterized by two types of symptoms: obsessions and compulsions. The obsessions and compulsions work in a cycle like this.

An obsession is an intrusive or repeated thought, image, urge, or feeling. The obsessions cause distress of some kind - anxiety or fear. An obsession is ego-dystonic, meaning that it goes against an individual's values or beliefs, leading to distress. Everyone experiences intrusive thoughts or images, but someone without OCD can move on more easily, while someone with OCD can get stuck in the cycle. So, to tend to the distress from the obsession, a compulsion is done. This is a behavior used to reduce distress, but it only offers temporary relief.