What are obsessions in the context of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?

In the context of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), obsessions are defined as intrusive thoughts that lead to significant anxiety or distress. These are unwanted and often distressing ideas, images, or urges that repeatedly enter a person's mind. Individuals with OCD find these thoughts difficult to control and can experience considerable discomfort as a result. For example, a person might have obsessive thoughts about contamination, causing anxiety about germs even when they are in clean environments.

Understanding obsessions as intrusive thoughts is critical to recognizing the nature of OCD. They are not merely worries; rather, they are persistent thoughts that can interfere with the person's daily functioning and quality of life. This clarity helps differentiate obsessions from compulsions, which are the behaviors or mental acts that individuals feel driven to perform in response to their obsessions, often as a way to reduce the anxiety these intrusive thoughts evoke.

The other options refer to aspects associated with OCD but do not accurately describe what obsessions are. Physical compulsions, for instance, relate to the behaviors performed in response to the obsessive thoughts, while fears of losing control and uncontrollable urges to repeat a behavior pertain more to the compulsive aspect of the disorder rather than to the obsessions themselves. Recognizing the specific