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obsessive-compulsive disorder

British  

noun

  1.  OCDpsychiatry an anxiety disorder in which patients are driven to repeat the same act, such as washing their hands, over and over again, usually for many hours

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

obsessive-compulsive disorder Scientific  
/ əb-sĕsĭv-kəm-pŭlsĭv /
  1. A psychiatric disorder characterized by the persistent intrusion of repetitive, unwanted thoughts which may be accompanied by compulsive actions, such as handwashing. The individual cannot voluntarily prevent these thoughts or actions, which interfere with normal functioning.


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Obsessive compulsive disorder affects more than 500,000 people in the UK.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2023