What are obsessions typically characterized by?

Obsessions are primarily characterized by recurrent intrusive thoughts or urges that cause significant anxiety or distress. Individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) experience these persistent and unwanted thoughts that often lead them to engage in compulsive behaviors in an attempt to reduce the anxiety associated with the obsessions. The hallmark of obsessions is that they are unwanted and typically recognized by the individual as being a product of their own mind, yet they often feel powerless to stop them.

The other options describe different concepts: repetitive physical actions pertain to compulsions, which are behaviors performed to alleviate the anxiety caused by obsessions. Feelings of intense panic relate more to panic attacks and anxiety disorders rather than the thoughts central to obsessions. Generalized fear about many situations aligns more closely with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which involves excessive worry rather than specific intrusive thoughts that characterize obsessions. In summary, the defining feature of obsessions is indeed the presence of these intrusive thoughts or urges that dominate the individual's mind.