Obsessive-compulsive disorder affects millions of people worldwide. In the UK, it’s estimated that there are 1.2 million people living with the disorder, while globally the figure could be as high as 4% of the global population.
Many people are living with the condition undiagnosed, while others have sought neuropsychiatric services to seek help, finding that treatment and coping strategies have completely transformed their lives.
Understanding the signs of OCD are integral to seeking help and getting a diagnosis, so if you think it could be something you’re living with here are five signs that could be an indicator to speak to a professional…
Intrusive, Distressing Thoughts
One hallmark of OCD is experiencing intrusive, often distressing thoughts that seem to come out of nowhere. These thoughts can be upsetting or even shocking, causing significant anxiety. Common obsessions may involve fears of contamination, worries about harm befalling yourself or others, or disturbing, unwanted thoughts about morality.
For instance, someone with OCD might be preoccupied with the idea that they could accidentally harm a loved one, despite having no intention of doing so. The distress of these thoughts often leads to intense feelings of guilt or shame, and many people try to ‘cancel out’ the thoughts with compulsive behaviours. Intrusive thoughts can occur in other anxiety disorders, but with OCD, they tend to feel particularly overwhelming and persistent.
Engaging in Compulsive Behaviour
Compulsions are repetitive actions or mental rituals that individuals feel compelled to perform in response to their obsessions. These behaviours can be physical, such as hand-washing, checking locks, or arranging items symmetrically, or mental, like counting, praying, or mentally reviewing events to seek reassurance.
People with OCD may feel that performing these behaviours will prevent harm or relieve their distress, but any relief is typically short-lived, and the compulsion soon needs repeating. For instance, someone with OCD might check a door lock multiple times before they can feel certain it’s secure. These rituals can consume significant amounts of time, impacting daily life and often leaving the person feeling frustrated or exhausted.
A Need for Excessive Cleanliness or Order
While not all cases of OCD involve cleanliness or order, these traits are common among those affected by the disorder. For example, a person may feel an overwhelming need to wash their hands repeatedly, sometimes for hours, due to an intense fear of germs or contamination. This fear might extend to objects or spaces, leading to a constant need to clean or sanitise.
In some cases, individuals feel a compulsive need to organise or arrange items in a specific way, believing that if everything isn’t in ‘perfect order,’ something bad will happen. This need for exactness or symmetry can apply to objects at home, workspaces, or even digital files, and can cause extreme distress if disrupted.
Persistent Doubts and Need for Reassurance
OCD often involves ongoing doubts and the compulsion to seek reassurance, either from oneself or others. This reassurance-seeking can become exhausting for both the person and those around them. For instance, someone may ask friends or family repeatedly if they locked the door, turned off the stove, or remembered to complete a task at work.
These doubts may relate to more abstract issues, such as whether they’re a “good person” or whether they might unintentionally cause harm. Despite receiving reassurance, individuals with OCD might continue to feel unsure and anxious, often seeking reassurance again shortly afterward. This relentless cycle of doubt and verification can interfere significantly with daily life.
Time-Consuming Rituals that Impact Daily Life
Living with OCD can mean spending hours each day engaged in rituals or compulsions. This can interfere with work, school, relationships, and other responsibilities, as individuals often feel compelled to complete their rituals before they can focus on other activities. For example, someone might spend excessive time checking and re-checking emails to ensure they haven’t made an error or misinterpreted a message, resulting in delays and stress.
When these rituals become so time-consuming that they impact daily life, relationships, or career progression, it’s often a sign that OCD may be present. These behaviours typically leave the individual feeling frustrated and overwhelmed, as they’re aware that their compulsions are excessive but struggle to resist them.
