Compulsion

Compulsion is an irresistible urge to perform an act or ritual, often against one's conscious will. This urge stems from internal anxieties or fears and, if resisted, typically leads to significant distress. The behavior is often repetitive, seemingly senseless, and can consume substantial time and energy. It differs from a desire or inclination, as it's perceived as a force the individual feels powerless to control, even though they may recognize the behavior as irrational.

Compulsion meaning with examples

• John suffered from a hand-washing compulsion. He knew washing his hands repeatedly was excessive and caused his skin to crack, yet he felt an overwhelming need to cleanse himself of perceived germs, experiencing intense anxiety if he tried to resist the urge, constantly fighting against the cycle.
• After every social gathering, Sarah felt the compulsion to check her phone for missed calls and messages repeatedly. Despite knowing the frequency was unnecessary, she felt compelled to confirm her worth to other friends through online validation. She felt incomplete if she had the desire, and hadn't checked her phone in 10 minutes.
• The gambler's compulsion to bet larger sums of money despite repeated losses was a clear sign of the devastating effect. He understood the consequences were extreme, but each failure only made the compulsive impulse to gamble stronger. He rationalized this behavior until his life was impacted.
• Obsessively organizing and rearranging her books was a core ritual of Emily's compulsion. She understood the rearranging was pointless and time consuming, but felt relief only when this obsession was complete. She would spend hours putting her books in a perfect order, even at the sacrifice of her social life.