People who feel driven to repeatedly perform certain behaviors or thoughts that they often cannot control.
From Latin 'compulsus' (driven, forced) via 'compulsive' + plural 's'. The root 'compellere' means to drive together or force, and over time 'compulsive' came to describe behaviors driven by internal psychological forces rather than external ones.
Interestingly, compulsives might perform the same action hundreds of times daily—like checking locks or arranging items—not because they enjoy it, but because NOT doing it creates unbearable anxiety. This shows how our brains can essentially hold our own desires hostage.
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