Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by obsessions (intrusive thoughts that won't stop) and compulsions (repetitive actions the person feels compelled to perform), and the most common OCD compulsions across all cultures are: (1) washing/cleansing rituals; (2) food safety and purity rituals; (3) ritualistic behaviors when entering/leaving significant places; and (4) numerology and magical number compulsions.
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Robert SapolskyEvidence Quote
“When you look at OCD, there is a structure to the compulsions. Number one, as I said, on the list of every culture out there with OCD, way at the top of the list are rituals of personal hygiene: washing, ornate rules about it, ornate sequences.”
Created: 8/12/2026, 5:59:56 PM
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