Which description best defines obsessions in OCD?

• A. Recurrent, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges
• B. Persistent, reward-seeking behaviors
• C. Sudden, intense episodes of fear with physical symptoms
• D. Sporadic worries about daily chores

Answer: (A)

Obsessions are persistent, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that are unwanted and cause significant distress or anxiety. They pop into awareness despite the person trying to ignore or resist them, and they’re typically ego-dystonic—the person recognizes them as irrational or not aligned with their values, yet they can’t simply dismiss them. Because obsessions create intense discomfort, people with OCD often engage in compulsions (repetitive behaviors or mental acts) to try to neutralize the anxiety or prevent a feared outcome.

That description matches the correct choice: recurrent, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges. The other descriptions point to different phenomena—reward-seeking behaviors align more with compulsions or addictive patterns, sudden fear with physical symptoms describes panic, and sporadic worries about daily chores fit more with general anxiety rather than the intrusive, distressing thoughts characteristic of obsessions.