Anxious or superstitious thoughts and behaviors are different
from obsessions and compulsions.
- Anxious/superstitious behaviors or thoughts are more oriented
towards illogical thoughts about something. These
behaviors/thoughts do not hold any rational nor they are considered
maladaptive in the sense it can bring harm/distress to people or
community. For instance, during the solar eclipse people in India
refrain from going out of the house or eat something.
- Obsessions and compulsions are based on some rational or logic
and they are maladaptive to oneself and the community. For
instance, A person washes hands repeatedly with the rational
thought that his hands might be dirty.
Anxious/superstitious behaviors or thoughts are not usually
repetitive and are based on religion and spirituality.Obsessions
and compulsions are usually repetitive and are based on various
psychological and psychiatric causes.