Psychiatry and Psychology

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

An anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, persistent obsessions or compulsions. Obsessions are the intrusive ideas, thoughts, or images that are experienced as senseless or repugnant. Compulsions are repetitive and seemingly purposeful behavior which the individual generally recognizes as senseless and from which the individual does not derive pleasure although it may provide a release from tension.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

An anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, persistent obsessions or compulsions. Obsessions are the intrusive ideas, thoughts, or images that are experienced as senseless or repugnant. Compulsions are repetitive and seemingly purposeful behavior which the individual generally recognizes as senseless and from which the individual does not derive pleasure although it may provide a release from tension.

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

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MeSH Record

See Also

MeSH Record

Synonyms

13 entry terms
  • Anankastic Personality
  • Neurosis, Obsessive-Compulsive
  • Anankastic Personalities
  • Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive
  • Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive
  • Neuroses, Obsessive-Compulsive
  • Neurosis, Obsessive Compulsive
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Neuroses
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Neurosis
  • Personalities, Anankastic
  • Personality, Anankastic

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

31 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, urine, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

COMPULSIVE PERSONALITY DISORDER is also available

MeSH Record

History Note

81; was NEUROSES, OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE 1963-80; OBSESSION was see under NEUROSES, OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE 1963-78

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Number

  1. F03w.080w.600w

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

WM 176

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D009771. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D009771
  2. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_disorder
  3. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q178190