
Perhaps it started with one or two jarring and disturbing thoughts or images or an unshakable feeling that something wasn’t right. Desperate to get rid of this unsettling experience, you performed a behaviour or mental act that you just felt compelled to complete, and at first, it seemed to help. Now you are caught in a vicious cycle where you feel the overwhelming urge to engage in certain thoughts or behaviours over and over in search of relief. You’re stuck, and you desperately want to get out. If you can relate, you are not alone. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an experience that affects 1-2% of the population.