OCD is a common anxiety‑based condition involving unwanted thoughts and repeated behaviours. These can be distressing and may interfere with daily life.
Symptoms of OCD
OCD has two main parts: obsessions and compulsions.
Obsessions
Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images or urges that repeatedly enter your mind. They often cause anxiety and can feel impossible to switch off.
Compulsions
Compulsions are repeated behaviours or rituals carried out to reduce anxiety caused by obsessions. They don’t always logically connect to the fear but can feel impossible to resist.
Examples of OCD
- Fear of germs leading to repeated handwashing
- Fear of harm leading to constant checking
- Fear of burglary leading to repeated locking rituals
Many people feel embarrassed about OCD, but it’s a recognised medical condition and not your fault. If symptoms are persistent or affecting work, relationships or daily life, speak to your GP. CBT is a common and effective treatment.
Self-help
- Educate yourself: Understanding OCD can help prepare you for therapy.
- Join a support group: OCD UK, OCD Action and TOP UK can help you connect with others.
- Try mindfulness: Helps focus on the present moment.
- Exposure exercises: Gradually face fears without rituals, starting small and building up. NHS Inform has guidance.
Tips to help someone else
- Be patient and non‑judgemental
- Learn about OCD to understand their experience
- Agree on ways to support them together
- Gently encourage challenges only when appropriate
Headspace
Learn meditation and mindfulness skills from world-class experts and develop tools to help you focus, breathe, stay calm, and find balance in your life.
GG OCD Anxiety & Depression
This app aims to improve the negative thinking associated with OCD, by increasing awareness and training the brain to challenge them.
NOCD: OCD Treatment App
Made by people with OCD, along with some of the world's top experts. The app offers live video-based OCD therapy and in-between session support.
Serenity: Guided Mental Health
Serenity is a mobile conversational companion. Through private, judgment-free conversations, Serenity helps you to become more conscious of the connections between your thoughts, your feelings, and your actions.
Oscar Kilo resources for police officers and police staff
If your partner, family member or friend works in UK policing, let them know there are lots of online resources on the Oscar Kilo website. They will need an Oscar kilo account to access the majority, an OK account can be created here by anyone with a .police.uk email address.
Police mental health and wellbeing support
The resources on this page aim to directly support the mental health and wellbeing of everyone who works in policing.
Whether you're an officer, staff member or volunteer - whatever your role - there's material to support your mental health and physical health along with some bespoke toolkits for specific roles.