Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder OCD is defined by Obsessions and Compulsions. Obsessions are thoughts, impulses, or imagers that occur repeatedly, even though the person with OCD does not want them and finds them extremely disturbing. Compulsions are behaviors or rituals. So the definition of Obsessive-Compulsive disorder would be reoccurring thoughts, impulses, and images that are acted on by repeated rituals or behaviors. People with OCD begin thinking about there obsessions like hand washing or cleaning, this begins to give them anxiety. They then have compulsions and do the obsessions that were giving them anxiety. Next they feel relief until the compulsions start...
person about their OCD. Then they begin to expose the patient to the anxiety-provoking object and then they have to try to avoid the normal ritual associated with the anxiety. This is called exposure and response therapy. The most effective way to treat OCD is to use both medication and Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy.

In conclusion OCD is a chronic, anxiety disorder with characteristics of obsessions and compulsions with many key factors in determining if the individual has OCD. The treatments are usually effective, but if OCD goes ignored it's symptoms worsen until they are very hard to treat.