Compulsive Behavior

 

A compulsive behavior is an action that a person feels “compelled” or driven to do over and over again. While these compulsive actions may appear to be irrational or pointless, and may even result in negative consequences, the individual experiencing the compulsion feels unable to stop him or herself.

Key Takeaways: Compulsive Behavior

Compulsive behaviors are actions a person feels driven or compelled to do repeatedly, even if those actions appear to be irrational or pointless.

A compulsion is different from an addiction, which is a physical or chemical dependence on a substance or behavior.

Compulsive behaviors can be physical acts, like repetitive hand washing or hoarding, or mental exercises, like counting or memorizing books.

Some compulsive behaviors are symptomatic of the psychiatric condition called Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Some compulsive behaviors can be harmful when practiced to an extreme.

The compulsive behavior can be a physical act, like hand washing or door-locking, or a mental activity, like counting objects or memorizing telephone books. When an otherwise harmless behavior becomes so consuming that it negatively impacts oneself or others, it may be a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Compulsion vs. Addiction

A compulsion is different from an addiction. The former is an overwhelming desire (or sense of physical need) to do something, while an addiction is a physical or chemical dependence on a substance or behavior. People with advanced addictions will continue their addictive behavior, even when they understand that doing so is harmful to themselves and others. Alcoholism, drug abuse, smoking, and gambling are perhaps the most common examples of addictions.

Two key differences between compulsion and addiction are pleasure and awareness.

Pleasure: Compulsive behaviors, such as those involved in obsessive-compulsive disorder, rarely result in feelings of pleasure, whereas addictions typically do. For example, people who compulsively wash their hands get no pleasure from doing so. By contrast, people with addictions “want” to use the substance or engage in the behavior because they expect to enjoy it. This desire for pleasure or relief becomes part of the self-perpetuating cycle of addiction as the person suffers the discomfort of withdrawal that comes when they are unable to use the substance or engage in the behavior.

Awareness: People with obsessive-compulsive disorders are typically aware of their behaviors and are bothered by the knowledge that they have no logical reason for doing them. On the other hand, people with addictions are often unaware of or unconcerned about the negative consequences of their actions. Typical of the denial stage of addictions, the individuals refuse to admit that their behavior is harmful. Instead, they are “just having fun” or trying to “fit in.” Often, it takes a devastating consequence like a drunk-driving conviction, a divorce, or getting fired for persons with addictions to become aware of the realities of their actions.

While there is no cure for OCD, its symptoms can be managed through medication, therapy, or a combination of treatments.

Some common treatments include:

Psychotherapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy can help alter thinking patterns that trigger OCD behaviors. Therapists use a process called “exposure and response prevention” that puts the patient in situations designed to create anxiety or set off compulsions. This helps patients recognize these situations enabling them to lessen or stop their OCD thoughts or actions.

Relaxation: Meditation, yoga, and massage can help deal with the stresses that cause OCD symptoms, and can often be done without the need of a professional therapist.

Medication: A wide range of “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor” drugs can be prescribed to control obsessions and compulsions. These drugs may take up to 4 months to start working and should be taken only under the supervision of a licensed professional psychotherapist.

Neuromodulation: When therapy and medication fail to have a significant effect, devices approved by the FDA for OCD treatment might be used. These devices change the electrical activity in a certain area of the brain known to trigger OCD responses.

TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation): A TMS unit is a non-invasive device, that when held above the head, induces a magnetic field that targets a specific part of the brain that regulates OCD symptoms.