Question, what are mental compulsion and physical compulsion (what can they look like?) and what are the common ones, are there common compulsions? I was asking some friends what they did when they got intrusive thoughts and I described how I feel really guilty if I don’t fight them off, correct them, or think “good” thoughts to cancel out the “bad” thoughts I had. A friend asked if I’d been assessed for OCD and I said no and that I have intrusive thoughts but not the compulsions so I don’t think I have OCD, she said that the way I described needing to fight or correct intrusive thoughts sounds like a mental compulsion and that if I can I should look into getting assessed and that I should do more research into OCD. I can’t really find good sources on what these compulsions can look like, and if they give examples they are big and obvious compulsions but I’m more curious about the discreet or hard to notice compulsions (like not realizing that fighting off and correcting intrusive thoughts can be a mental compulsion)
Mental compulsions include but are not limited to: ruminating (being stuck on a thought and analyzing it), attempting to logic your way out of the thoughts (“no that’s not true because…”), and searching your memory for evidence (like telling yourself you did not hurt your friend’s feelings because you remember already checking in with them). Yes, trying to replace “bad” thoughts with “good” thoughts to feel less guilty would also be a mental compulsion.
(Subtle) physical compulsions include but are not limited to: seeking reassurance, doing random jerk movements to “shake out” intrusive thoughts, excessive apologizing, over-explaining (usually in the case of being afraid of lying), needing to do things a specific number of times, doing something to one side of your body and needing to do it to the other (for symmetry or to feel “just right”), avoiding specific things or locations, and needing to repeat yourself. These ones are usually the ones people fail to notice that they do.
I understand what you mean about sources only including hand washing, checking, and symmetry. They never really go into different subtypes either. It’s really a shame how little resources people with OCD have. I hope this helps you a bit :)
