Compulsive behaviors refer to actions that the patient cannot control and interfere in the patient's life. HelpGuide.org notes that a patient can have the compulsive behaviors alone, or as part of a disorder, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or compulsive sexual behavior. Every patient has a different type of compulsive behavior, which can involve cleaning, organization, hoarding, gambling or even shopping, according to the "Psychology Today" website.
Identification and Controlling Behaviors
Compulsive behaviors are different from other types of behaviors. They are irrational, and the patient is driven to do them. A patient with compulsive behavior can realize that the behavior she is participating in is not normal.
HelpGuide.org states that in many cases the patient does the compulsive behaviors to make obsessive thoughts stop. For example, if a patient has an obsessive fear of germs, her compulsive behavior is to constantly wash her hands; even if her skin becomes dry or cracked from the washing. Often, the patient does the behavior to take care of any anxiety she has. Even though the patient can identify that her compulsive behavior is not normal, she cannot stop it.
Common Compulsive Behaviors
While compulsive behaviors are any repetitive behavior that the patient is driven to do, HelpGuide.org notes that there are some common compulsive behaviors. If the patient is a compulsive checker, he may check to see if the door is closed or if an electronic device is on multiple times before he is able to leave the house. The patient might be focused on organization, causing him to follow a certain way of grouping or counting items; he can become upset if his organization style is disrupted. Hoarding is another example of a compulsive behavior: the patient will collect items that he does not need or use, but will refuse to throw them away.
Signs of Compulsive Sexual Behaviors
Another type of compulsive behavior is compulsive sexual behavior, which is characterized by paraphilias--sexual behaviors that are outside the socially accepted boundaries. The Mayo Clinic notes that a patient with compulsive sexual behaviors is similar to a patient with other types of compulsive behaviors: She has sexual impulses that interfere with her life, which she cannot control; in addition, she turns to these behaviors to escape from anxiety and other problems. A patient with compulsive sexual behaviors, however, continues to participate in risky sexual behaviors in spite of any consequences or not getting any pleasure from it. In addition, the patient has trouble getting close to another person.
