Topic
OCD and intrusive thoughts
Articles on OCD and intrusive thoughts, and related conditions such as body dysmorphia, hoarding and hair pulling: what they are and what helps. They're for anyone caught in a loop of unwanted thoughts and rituals, and for the people around them.
OCD isn't about being neat, whatever "I'm so OCD" suggests, and in Nigeria it often hides where people don't expect it. Blasphemous thoughts during prayer are common and almost never mentioned. People often decide they're under spiritual attack and pray harder, which keeps the loop going. Faith and treatment aren't in competition. Children who pull out their hair or eyelashes are often scolded or punished, which tends to deepen the shame rather than stop the behaviour.
Start with what OCD really looks like and why intrusive thoughts happen. Our OCD guide explains treatment.
The main talking therapy for OCD is exposure and response prevention (ERP), a form of CBT. You can browse licensed therapists on Mytherapist.ng and ask about their experience with OCD before you start.
Hoarding: When Keeping Things Takes Over
Not untidiness, and not laziness. Why hoarding is a recognised disorder, why throwing things away for someone makes it worse, and what actually helps.
Hair Pulling and Skin Picking, Explained
You do it without noticing, then hide the evidence. Trichotillomania and skin picking are recognised conditions with real treatment — not bad habits.
Body Dysmorphia: When the Mirror Lies
Hours lost to a flaw nobody else can see. What body dysmorphic disorder is, why reassurance and surgery never settle it, and the treatment that works.
Intrusive Thoughts: Why Your Mind Goes There
Violent, sexual or blasphemous thoughts you would never act on. Why almost everyone has them, why yours stick, and why fighting them makes them louder.
OCD Is More Than Being Neat: What It Really Looks Like
“I’m so OCD” gets thrown around a lot — but real OCD is far more than liking things tidy. Here’s what obsessive-compulsive disorder actually looks like.
5 Rare Mental Disorders You’ve Probably Never Heard Of.
Mental health illnesses are common and affect lots of people in the world. Disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, social anxiety disorder, […]
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