A common belief is that compulsive behaviors trap people in a “habit loop” that takes over self-control. New research, however, suggests this explanation may be incomplete. For many years, compulsive ...

The Mayo Clinic defines obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as: “Unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead you to do repetitive behaviors (compulsions).” OCD is a form of anxiety disorder ...

Do you or someone close to you repeat everything over and over again or are you overly cautious about cleanliness? These may not be normal habits but signs of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).

When I was 10 years old, my grandmother handed me a stack of letters that she was about to throw away and commented: "Richard, some folks collect these old stamps." I noticed the stamps looked nothing ...

Is compulsive behavior common in people with Alzheimer’s or dementia? When someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, many aspects of his or her life are forced to change and will ...

Dear Readers: I have a 12-year-old spayed female cat, who, over the last year, has started licking me incessantly. These are not short love licks, they are grooming licks that hurt, and she doesn't ...

Of course, the most visible characteristic of addiction is obsessive- compulsive behavior, the topic of this week's column. Just for fun, I checked out the definition of "obsessive-compulsive" on ...

Trichotillomania is a condition involving frequent urges to pull out one’s hair. Experts now consider it closely related to OCD due to the obsessive-compulsive nature of the disorder. Mental health ...