Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition involving a pattern of unwanted thoughts or fears (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) that are done to try to relieve the obsessions. For people with OCD, their obsessions and compulsions are time-consuming, cause significant emotional distress, and make it difficult to function.
5 Things Not to Say to Someone With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) — and What to Say InsteadMedically Reviewed by Kelsey M. Latimer, PhD, RN | September 15, 2025
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Angela D. Harper, MD, is in private practice at Columbia Psychiatric Associates in South Carolina, where she provides evaluations, medication management, and psychotherapy for adul...
Kelsey M. Latimer, PhD, RN, is a psychologist, nurse, and certified eating disorder specialist, and is the founder and owner of KML Psychological Services.
Lee S. Cohen, MD, is an associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, maintains a clinical practice focused on expert and complex diagnos...
Seth Gillihan, PhD, is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, who helps people find personal growth by making important changes in their thoughts and...
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