When an otherwise harmless behaviour becomes so consuming that it negatively impacts oneself or others, it may be a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Most compulsive behaviours attributed to OCD are incredibly time-consuming, cause major distress, and impair work, relationships, or other essential functions. It can include behaviours such as eating, shopping, hoarding and animal hoarding, skin picking, and gambling.

• Compulsive overeating is the inability to control one's amount of nutritional intake, resulting in weight gain.
• Compulsive shopping is done to the extent that it impairs the shoppers' lives, leaving them financially unstable.
• Compu...