A common belief is that compulsive behaviors trap people in a “habit loop” that takes over self-control. New research, however, suggests this explanation may be incomplete. For many years, compulsive ...

Domestic horses sometimes engage in stereotyped behaviors (a repetitive movement that appears to have no purpose or function.) In horses, these behaviors may include cribbing, pawing, head shaking, ...

Compulsive shopping (sometimes called compulsive buying or shopping addiction) refers to a preoccupation with purchasing products and spending money. Compulsive shopping shares several characteristics ...

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have identified a brain circuit that can drive repetitive and compulsive behaviours in mice, even when natural rewards such as food or social contact are ...

Sudden onset obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may result from infections such as Lyme disease, mononucleosis, mycoplasma, and influenza. OCD is a chronic mental health condition. People with OCD ...

Is compulsive behavior common in people with Alzheimer’s or dementia? When someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, many aspects of his or her life are forced to change and will ...

OCD’s intrusive thoughts cause distress and feel at odds with your character, while in OCPD, the rigid traits are ingrained and perceived as inherent. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and obsessive ...