Compulsive behavior
[3] Compulsive behaviors are a need to reduce apprehension caused by internal feelings a person wants to abstain from or control.
"[6] There are many different types of compulsive behaviors including shopping, hoarding, eating, gambling, trichotillomania and picking skin, itching, checking, counting, washing, sex, and more.
Many who exhibit compulsive behavior will claim it is not a problem and may endure the condition for years before seeking help.
Major features of hoarding include not being able to use the capacity of one's living quarters efficiently, having difficulty moving throughout the home due to the massive amount of possessions, as well as having blocked exits that can pose a danger to the hoarder and their family and guests.
Other reasons include fear of losing important documents and information and object characteristics.
[10] Compulsive overeating is the inability to control one's amount of nutritional intake, resulting in excessive weight gain.
People who struggle with compulsive eating usually do not have proper coping skills to deal with the emotional issues that cause their overindulgence in food.
They indulge in binges, periods of varying duration in which they eat and/or drink without pause until the compulsion passes or they are unable to consume any more.
These binges are usually accompanied by feelings of guilt and shame about using food to avoid emotional stress.
This compulsive behavior can have severe side effects including, but not limited to, binge eating, depression, withdrawal from activities due to weight, and spontaneous dieting.
For instance, restricting what the person eats, vomiting, abusing laxatives, and over-exercising.
Compulsive gambling can be helped with various forms of treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy, self-help or twelve-step programs, and potentially medication.
These thoughts have to be pervasive and cause problems in health, occupation, socialization, or other parts of life.
[24] Studies have shown that most people who are talkaholics are aware of the amount of talking they do, are unable to stop, and do not see it as a problem.
[12] Social media sites can also serve as mediums through which OCD patients exhibit other common symptoms of the disorder, such as hoarding online images.
