What term describes thoughts/images/impulses that persistently intrude in the mind, despite being unwelcome and causing anxiety?

• A. Obsessions
• B. Compulsions
• C. Traumatic events
• D. Delusions

Answer: (A)

Intrusive, persistent thoughts, images, or urges that keep showing up despite being unwanted and that provoke anxiety are obsessions. These thoughts feel provocative and unwelcome, and people often recognize them as irrational or excessive, which is why they’re distressing. In obsessive-compulsive patterns, obsessions are typically followed by compulsions—repetitive behaviors or mental acts aimed at reducing the distress caused by the obsessions. It’s important to note that obsessions are the thoughts themselves, whereas compulsions are the reactions to those thoughts. Delusions are fixed false beliefs, not merely intrusive thoughts, and traumatic events refer to experiences that can lead to other disorders, not this intrusive-thought phenomenon.