... doing. First, we were introduced to Peter who insisted to have his lunch stapled together for his fear of being poisoned by another student, and his need to repeat prayers to himself. He was also very careful to not let any letters touch each other while he was writing. Second, we learned about Peter's unwillingness to write in his journal for fear of writing freehand because of possibility of many grammar or spelling mistakes. Last, we read about Ashley's incapability to stop tapping on her desk. These are examples of obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are "persistent impulses, ideas, images, or thoughts that are experienced as intrusive and inappropriate and cause marked anxiety" (1) and they contrast to compulsions because they are "mental acts, such as counting, repeating words silently, or repetitive behaviors such as hand washing, ordering, or checking, with the goal of reducing or preventing anxiety, not to provide ...

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