Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide
Compulsions
DEFINITION
- A compulsion is a repetitive behavior or mental act that a person feels compelled to perform in response to an obsession or according to specific rules. These behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing anxiety, distress, or a dreaded event; however, these behaviors or acts are not connected in a realistic way to what they are designed to prevent or are clearly excessive.[1]
A compulsion can involve diverse behaviors, including:[2][3]
- Cleaning or washing
- Checking
- Repeating
- Counting
- Ordering/arranging
- Hoarding
- Seeking constant reassurance
- Miscellaneous: need to confess/tell/ask questions, rituals/superstitions, list-making, touching/tapping
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Last updated: August 9, 2025
Citation
Ghazikhanian, Stephen E, et al. "Compulsions." Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide, The Johns Hopkins University, 2025. Johns Hopkins Guides, www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787160/all/Compulsions.
Ghazikhanian SE, Nestadt P, Nestadt G. Compulsions. Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2025. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787160/all/Compulsions. Accessed October 8, 2025.
Ghazikhanian, S. E., Nestadt, P., & Nestadt, G. (2025). Compulsions. In Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787160/all/Compulsions
Ghazikhanian SE, Nestadt P, Nestadt G. Compulsions [Internet]. In: Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2025. [cited 2025 October 08]. Available from: https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787160/all/Compulsions.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Compulsions
ID - 787160
A1 - Ghazikhanian,Stephen,M.D.
AU - Nestadt,Paul,M.D.
AU - Nestadt,Gerald,M.D.
Y1 - 2025/08/09/
BT - Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide
UR - https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787160/all/Compulsions
PB - The Johns Hopkins University
DB - Johns Hopkins Guides
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -
