US Medical Term · mental-health
OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)
Trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo (TOC)
What it means
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder in which a person has thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions) that occur over and over; they interfere with life, but the person cannot control or stop them. Obsessions are repeated thoughts, urges, or mental images that cause anxiety, such as fear of germs or contamination. Compulsions are behaviors a person feels the need to do over and over to try to reduce the anxiety or stop the obsessive thoughts, such as excessive handwashing or repeatedly checking on things. MedlinePlus calls it a myth that OCD just means being neat. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, OCD symptoms can begin any time but usually start between late childhood and young adulthood.
OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) in Spanish
- Spanish term
- Trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo (TOC)
- Gender and article
- masculine: el trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo (abbreviation also masculine: el TOC)
- Pronunciation
- trahs-TOR-noh ohb-seh-SEE-voh kohm-pool-SEE-voh
| Other Spanish terms | Where it is used | Note |
|---|---|---|
| TOC | General | Abbreviation used throughout the MedlinePlus en español page. |
| trastorno obsesivo compulsivo | General | Spelling without the hyphen, used in the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary. |
Trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo, written with a hyphen, is the form MedlinePlus en español and the National Institute of Mental Health use; the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary writes it without the hyphen, trastorno obsesivo compulsivo. The head noun trastorno makes it masculine, and so is the abbreviation: el trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo, el TOC. The NIMH Spanish page points out that in English it is known by its initials, OCD.
The two key nouns are feminine: las obsesiones and las compulsiones. MedlinePlus en español defines obsesiones as pensamientos, impulsos o imágenes mentales que se repiten y causan ansiedad. The NIMH Spanish page also speaks of rituales compulsivos and of a trastorno de tics (tic disorder) that some people with the condition have. Treatment names on MedlinePlus en español are terapia cognitivo-conductual (also written terapia cognitiva conductual, abbreviated TCC), and terapia de exposición con prevención de respuesta, with antidepresivos among the medicines; the same page writes lavarse las manos de forma excesiva for excessive handwashing.
Phrases for an appointment
What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:
| Who | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Patient | I have thoughts that keep coming back, and I can't stop them. | Tengo pensamientos que vuelven una y otra vez, y no puedo detenerlos. |
| Clinician | Do you feel that you have to repeat certain actions, such as washing your hands or checking the door? | ¿Siente que tiene que repetir ciertas acciones, como lavarse las manos o revisar la puerta? |
| Patient | I check that the oven is off many times before I leave the house. | Verifico muchas veces que el horno esté apagado antes de salir de casa. |
| Clinician | About how much time do these thoughts or behaviors take up each day? | ¿Aproximadamente cuánto tiempo le toman estos pensamientos o comportamientos cada día? |
| Patient | More than an hour a day, and it is causing problems at work. | Más de una hora al día, y me está causando problemas en el trabajo. |
| Clinician | Does anyone in your family have obsessive-compulsive disorder? | ¿Alguien de su familia tiene trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo? |
| Clinician | I am going to ask you some questions from an OCD test. | Voy a hacerle algunas preguntas de una prueba del TOC. |
| Patient | I know it is excessive, but doing it eases my anxiety for a little while. | Sé que es excesivo, pero hacerlo me alivia la ansiedad por un rato. |
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) |
| Spanish (Español) | Trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo (TOC) |
| Chinese (中文) | 強迫症 |
| Korean (한국어) | 강박 장애 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Rối loạn ám ảnh cưỡng chế |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) |
| Portuguese (Português) | Transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo (TOC) |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | โรคย้ำคิดย้ำทำ |
| Japanese (日本語) | 強迫性障害 |
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
ICD-10-CM code: F42 → Obsessive-compulsive disorderRelated terms
Your right to an interpreter in the United States
If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.
You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»
More terms: Mental health
All terms in this area: Mental health — Salud mental
Sources
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder — MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
- Trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo — MedlinePlus en español, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) — National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), NIH
- Trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo: Cuando los pensamientos no deseados o comportamientos repetitivos toman control — National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), NIH
- trastorno obsesivo compulsivo — Diccionario de cáncer del NCI — National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Your Right to Language Assistance Services — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.
Last reviewed: October 7, 2026