Overvalued Idea

An overvalued idea is a notion (either rational or irrational) that an individual holds with firmness and conviction but that is not at the level of delusional intensity. Overvalued thoughts are frequently seen as part of Obsessive-Compulsive disorder (OCD).

An example would be an OCD sufferer who engages in obsessive behavior such as checking door locks as a means of coping with the anxiety that the condition engenders. However driven they might be with need to keep checking and rechecking, it is an overvalued idea in that they actually know that this need is is not fully rational.