Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by an individual experiencing unwanted and intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and behavioral rituals (compulsions).
According to Jon Hershfield, MFT, author of The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD:
“People describe for me that they are sort of reading this spam junk mail that’s coming into their feed marked as urgent and they don’t know if they are supposed to ignore it, or are they supposed to open it and reply to it, which then teaches the algorithm to send you more of that stuff.”
OCD is thought to affect approximately 2-3% of the general population (Rasmussen & Eisen, 1994) and appears to be more common in women than men. The average age of the onset of OCD is 19 years old, with 25% of the cases being recognized by the age of 14.
Disclaimer
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional help. If you’re worried about OCD or your mental health, please reach out to a qualified professional or a trusted support service.
What Are Obsessions?
Obsessions in OCD are unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that cause intense anxiety and often center on feared outcomes. Abramowitz & McKay (2009) describe four key features:
- Recurrent, distressing thoughts, impulses, or images.
- Not simply excessive worries about everyday problems.
- Attempts to suppress, ignore, or neutralize them with other thoughts or actions.
- Recognition that they come from one’s own mind.
Common obsessive thoughts might include:
- “What if I left the stove on and caused a fire?”
- “What if I harmed someone by accident?”
- “Did I say something offensive without realizing it?”
- “What if I get sick from touching this doorknob?”
- “If these books aren’t lined up perfectly, something bad will happen.”
Even when people know these fears are irrational, the obsessions feel uncontrollable, time-consuming, and highly distressing. Trying to ignore or suppress them often makes the anxiety worse, which is why obsessions usually lead to compulsions.
What Are Compulsions?
Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce the distress caused by obsessions or to prevent something feared from happening. They can disrupt daily life and often provide only temporary relief.
People may create personal rules or rituals, repeating actions until they feel “just right.” These behaviors are usually excessive or unrelated to the feared outcome (Abramowitz & McKay, 2009).
Examples include:
- Washing and cleaning – excessive handwashing or cleaning objects.
- Checking – repeatedly ensuring doors are locked or appliances are off.
- Orderliness – arranging items symmetrically or in a specific order.
- Counting – repeating steps, numbers, or taps in patterns.
Compulsions rarely bring pleasure but are performed to manage overwhelming anxiety.
Types of OCD
OCD does not have separate official diagnoses or subtypes. Instead, people often experience recurring themes in their obsessions and compulsions. These themes can overlap, shift over time, or appear in combination. Below are some of the most common presentations:
- Contamination and Cleaning: Fear of germs, dirt, or illness, leading to excessive handwashing, cleaning, or avoidance of certain places.
- Checking: Repeatedly ensuring doors are locked, appliances are off, or that no harm has been caused.
- Symmetry and “Just Right”: Intense discomfort if items aren’t aligned or arranged in a specific way, sometimes involving tapping, touching, or ordering rituals.
- Perfectionism: Strong need for exactness or things to feel “just right,” often linked with symmetry or order-related compulsions.
- Harm OCD: Distressing intrusive thoughts about harming oneself or others, often paired with reassurance-seeking or avoidance.
- Religious or Moral (Scrupulosity): Excessive fears of sin, blasphemy, or moral failure, sometimes leading to repetitive prayers or rituals.
- Sexual Orientation or Relationship OCD (ROCD): Obsessions around one’s sexual orientation or doubts about a relationship, often leading to compulsive checking of feelings or constant reassurance-seeking.
- Superstitious or Magical Thinking: Belief that certain actions, numbers, or rituals can prevent bad outcomes or bring good luck.
- Counting and Numbers: Urges to count objects, steps, or actions in specific ways or to a “safe” number.
- Real Event OCD: Preoccupation with past events, often replaying or questioning one’s morality or behavior.
These themes do not cover every possible form OCD can take, but they show how intrusive thoughts and compulsions can attach themselves to different fears or concerns.
What Causes OCD?
A direct cause for the onset of OCD has not been found, and the condition’s causes are not fully understood. There are some theories for possible causes and risk factors that could make someone more likely to develop OCD.
Genetics
OCD appears to run in families; therefore, those with parents with this condition are more at risk of developing OCD themselves compared to parents who do not have the disorder (Hettama et al., 2001).
Coexisting conditions
Other anxiety disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety) and mood disorders such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder are common alongside OCD (Ruscio et al., 2010).
Some of the symptoms of these disorders, among others, may contribute to the development of OCD.
Brain injury
Some cases have reported an acute onset of OCD within a day to a few months following traumatic brain injury (Berthier et al., 2001).
Symptoms of OCD have also been associated with strokes, brain tumors, and Parkinson’s Disease (Kurlan et al., 2004).
Serotonin levels
Individuals with OCD appear to respond well to medication that affects the neurotransmitter serotonin (specifically, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, SSRIs).
Because of this, it has been suggested that serotonin levels and how the brain processes this chemical are associated with OCD (Sinopoli et al., 2017).
Environmental factors
Environmental factors, such as trauma, stress, and childhood adversity, may increase the risk of developing OCD (Boileau, 2022).
For example, a history of childhood abuse, neglect, or other traumatic events may contribute to the development of OCD symptoms later in life.
Childhood experiences that induce intense feelings of shame, such as bullying or critical parenting, may lay the groundwork for obsessive-compulsive tendencies later in life (Anderson & Clark, 2022).
Cognitive factors
Cognitive factors, such as dysfunctional beliefs and thought patterns, may contribute to the development and maintenance of OCD.
For example, having a heightened sense of responsibility, a need for certainty, or a tendency to catastrophize may contribute to obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
Learned behaviors
Learned behaviors, such as engaging in compulsive behaviors as a way to reduce anxiety or distress, may reinforce the cycle of obsessions and compulsions.
Likewise, if someone has observed their parent engaging in compulsions, a child may learn that this is typical behavior and may be more likely to exhibit these behaviors themselves.
How OCD Can Affect Daily Life, Work & Relationships
1. Disruption to Daily Routines & Self-Care
- OCD symptoms can consume significant time. Obsessions + compulsions may take up hours each day, leaving less time for normal tasks like getting ready, cooking, cleaning, or errands.
- Self-care can suffer: sleep may be disturbed; hygiene routines may become ritualised; individuals might avoid certain places or people because of fear/contamination or intrusive thoughts.
- Household / home environment may feel chaotic or burdensome — rituals or checking interfere with managing chores, organizing, or maintaining a home in a way that feels manageable.
2. Effects on Work, School, or Productivity
- Reduced work performance: time spent on compulsions or intrusive thoughts can reduce concentration, slow down tasks, and lead to missed deadlines.
- Avoidance: people with OCD may avoid tasks, projects, meetings, or social interactions at work/school because they trigger obsessions or compulsive rituals. This can limit responsibilities or opportunities.
- Decision paralysis or over-checking: due to doubt or fear of making a mistake, people might excessively check work or rework things, delaying completion.
- Absenteeism or job instability: stress, burnout, or inability to keep up with work demands can lead to calling off work more often or problems sustaining employment.
“You lose time. You lose entire blocks of your day to obsessive thoughts or actions. I spend so much time finishing songs in my car before I can get out or redoing my entire shower routine because I lost count of how many times I scrubbed my left arm.”
3. Strain on Relationships & Social Life
- Social isolation: Individuals may avoid social events or interactions due to fear of embarrassment, intrusive thoughts, or rituals that make participation difficult.
- Communication difficulties: They may find it hard to explain their behavior or thoughts; loved ones may not understand; reassurance-seeking or repeated checking can frustrate others.
- Emotional strain: OCD contributes to feelings of guilt, shame, or low self-esteem. The person with OCD may feel helpless, and partners, family, or friends may feel frustrated, burdened, or unsure how to help.
- Relationship dynamics change: Rituals may involve others (asking them to do certain things, avoid things, accommodate compulsions). This can lead to resentment and misunderstanding.
4. Impact on Quality of Life & Emotional Well-Being
- Increased anxiety, depression, and general distress are common. The ongoing cycle of obsessions and compulsions causes emotional exhaustion.
- Sleep disturbances, fatigue, and health effects: stress and disruptiveness of symptoms affect rest, mood, and energy. Also, some compulsive behaviors can cause physical harm (e.g., skin damage from excessive washing), or avoidant behaviors may lead to neglected health.
- Reduced life satisfaction: people with OCD often report lower quality of life, less enjoyment in daily activities, and restricted participation in hobbies/social life.
“OCD is like having a bully stuck inside your head and nobody else can see it.”
How is OCD portrayed in media versus reality?
Media often shows OCD through exaggerated stereotypes: excessive cleanliness, organisation, or quirky perfectionism (think: germ phobia, lining up items exactly).
Characters are frequently defined by visible compulsions, used for comedic effect, or shown as strange or odd in a way that oversimplifies the disorder.
In reality, OCD is much more complex. Many people’s obsessions are internal (intrusive thoughts about harm, morality, doubt, taboo topics) rather than about cleanliness or order.
Compulsions can be mental acts, invisible to others, and the distress from obsessions is often overwhelming even when actions don’t “look” dramatic.
These misrepresentations can perpetuate stigma, make people feel their experiences don’t count, delay recognition, and discourage seeking help.
Embracing Uncertainty with OCD
Uncertainty is an inherent part of life. Yet, for those with OCD, uncertainty can become an obsession in and of itself.
Intrusive thoughts may latch onto a specific fear or doubt, analyzing the endless possibilities of an uncertain situation or future. This only fuels anxiety and dysfunction.
The good news is there are effective approaches to better cope with uncertainty when you have OCD:
Acknowledge Nothing is Truly Certain
It can be helpful to take a step back and acknowledge the deeper truth – very little in life is actually 100% knowable or certain.
The obsession around a specific intrusive thought or fear is usually not about the content itself, but rather the fact that the outcome is uncertain.
“I often find that once I pinpoint or realize the power that I’ve been allowing a particular obsession to hold, it is much easier to dismiss it.”
Reframe Thoughts Around the Fear of Uncertainty
Rather than analyzing the specific “what if” content, recognize the underlying fear is likely tied to uncertainty in that moment.
For example, an intrusive thought like “what if I lose control?” is not so much about the specifics of losing control, but rather the uncertainty over knowing if that could happen.
Reframing intrusive thoughts to focus more on the fear of uncertainty can help reduce rumination.
Share Your Thoughts and Realize You’re Not Alone
Writing down intrusive thoughts and seeing examples of how common various themes are can provide immense relief. Online groups even allow for anonymity.
Realizing others have very similar thoughts and fears around uncertainty helps reinforce that these thoughts are symptomatic of OCD – not a reflection of oneself or reality. There is power in exposing thoughts to the light and seeing we don’t suffer alone.
While certainty may remain elusive, there are healthy, compassionate ways for those with OCD to better cope with uncertainty.
Reframing fearful thoughts and finding community can help transform uncertainty from an enemy into simply a part of living.
“One method which has helped me is just observing the voice with non-judgement and then internally labelling it as thinking and then taking a deep breath.”
Treatment Options
Treatments for the symptoms of OCD depend upon the symptoms experienced and the extent that they affect the individual’s life and overall functioning.
It’s important to note that treatment for OCD is highly individualized, and what works for one person may not work for another.
It's best to consult with a qualified mental health professional to determine the most appropriate treatment plan for your specific needs.
Exposure and response prevention (ERP)
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is considered a first-line, gold-standard therapy for OCD.
It works by helping people gradually confront their fears (exposures) while resisting compulsive behaviors (response prevention), under a therapist’s guidance.
Over time, this helps reduce anxiety, break the cycle of obsession → compulsion → relief, and teach that feared outcomes often don’t happen—or are tolerable.
Key techniques include:
- Building an exposure hierarchy (from least to most distressing situations).
- Using in vivo exposure (real‐life situations) or imaginal exposure (thoughts or images) when real exposure isn’t feasible.
- Delaying or modifying compulsions instead of immediately giving in.
- Psychoeducation: learning about how OCD works, what maintains it, and why facing fears helps.
Effectiveness:
- Many studies show significant symptom reduction for most people who adhere to ERP protocols.
- Improvements tend to be durable over time when skills are maintained beyond therapy.
- ERP often outperforms non-ERP or “talk only” therapies alone, though combining ERP with medication can help in more severe cases.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
In addition to ERP, CBT can help people challenge and reframe obsessive thoughts.
With a therapist’s guidance, individuals examine evidence for and against their fears, identify unhelpful thinking patterns, and learn healthier ways to respond.
CBT can help reduce reliance on rituals by building more balanced and realistic perspectives.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness teaches people to notice intrusive thoughts and uncomfortable feelings without judgment.
Instead of struggling to suppress or label them as “bad,” mindfulness encourages seeing them as temporary mental events.
This shift can reduce the cycle of fear and compulsion and is often used alongside ERP.
Medication
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine, sertraline, fluvoxamine, and paroxetine are commonly prescribed and may reduce OCD symptoms.
Medication often works best in combination with CBT or ERP, especially for moderate to severe OCD, and should only be considered after discussion with a medical professional.
Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy explores unconscious thoughts and past experiences that may influence OCD.
While it may provide insight for some, research evidence is limited, and major guidelines (NICE, 2006) do not recommend it as a primary treatment.
Lifestyle changes
Certain lifestyle changes can also be beneficial in managing OCD symptoms on one’s own. Here are some examples:
- Improved sleep hygiene: Establishing a consistent sleep routine and creating a relaxing bedtime routine can promote better sleep, which may help manage OCD symptoms.
- Stress management: Learning effective stress management techniques, such as deep breathing or mindfulness, can help cope with stress and reduce OCD symptoms.
- Regular exercise: Engaging in regular exercise can help regulate mood and provide a healthy outlet for managing OCD symptoms.
- Healthy diet: Eating a balanced and nutritious diet can support overall mental health and help manage OCD symptoms.
- Time management: Effective time management, such as creating a schedule or to-do list, can reduce stress and contribute to better OCD symptom management.
- Avoidance of substance abuse: Avoiding or minimizing substance abuse can be important in managing OCD symptoms effectively.
It’s important to note that lifestyle changes alone may not be sufficient to manage OCD, but they can complement other treatment approaches and contribute to an overall healthy lifestyle that supports mental well-being.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can happen if OCD is left untreated?
If left untreated, OCD can result in a decline in mental health, including increased anxiety, depression, and reduced quality of life.
It may interfere with daily functioning, such as work, school, and relationships, due to the time-consuming nature of compulsions.
Untreated OCD can also increase the risk of developing other mental health disorders and may lead to harmful behaviors or rituals that can result in physical injuries or legal issues.
How does OCD affect daily life?
The obsessions and compulsions of OCD can interfere in daily functioning.
Obsessions may cause intense anxiety, fear, or distress, leading to preoccupation and interference with regular activities.
Compulsions can use up a lot of time and energy, disrupting daily routines and responsibilities.
OCD may also result in avoidance of certain situations or places, strained relationships, and reduced enjoyment of hobbies or interests.
Overall, OCD can impair an individual’s ability to function effectively in various areas of life, including work, school, social interactions, and personal well-being.
What can make OCD worse?
There are many factors that can worsen the symptoms of OCD.
Stress, anxiety, and emotional distress can worsen OCD symptoms as the increased tension may trigger or intensify obsessions and compulsions. Lack of sleep or poor sleep quality can also contribute to increased OCD severity.
Avoidance of triggering situations or engaging in safety-seeking behaviors, which provide temporary relief from anxiety, can reinforce the vicious cycle of OCD and make it worse in the long term.
Additionally, using substances like drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism may exacerbate OCD symptoms.
Is OCD always linked to anxiety?
Anxiety is commonly associated with OCD, but it’s not always a defining feature.
While anxiety often arises from the distress caused by obsessive thoughts, compulsions may also be driven by a need to reduce discomfort, uncertainty, or distress, rather than anxiety specifically.
Additionally, some individuals with OCD may experience more feelings of guilt, shame, or disgust rather than anxiety. However, anxiety is a common emotion that many people with OCD experience due to the distressing nature of intrusive thoughts and the urge to engage in compulsive behaviors to manage the anxiety.
Nevertheless, it’s important to note that not all individuals with OCD experience anxiety as their primary emotional response, and the symptoms and experiences of OCD can vary greatly from person to person.
Is OCD Neurodivergent?
Yes, OCD is considered a form of neurodivergence. Neurodivergence refers to variations in the human brain regarding sociability, learning, attention, and mood. OCD, characterized by intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors, falls under this umbrella as a distinct neurological variation.
Do you need mental health support?
USA
If you or a loved one are struggling with symptoms of an anxiety disorder, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
1-800-662-4357
UK
Contact the Samaritans for support and assistance from a trained counselor: https://www.samaritans.org/; email jo@samaritans.org .
Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (this number is FREE to call):
116-123
Rethink Mental Illness: rethink.org
0300 5000 927
References
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American Psychiatric Association. (2020, December). What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/ocd/what-is-obsessive-compulsive-disorder
Anderson, L., & Clark, M. (2022). Childhood Shame and OCD Onset: A Longitudinal Analysis. Journal of Child Psychology, 41(6), 758-769.
Berthier, M. L., Kulisevsky, J., Gironell, A., & López, O. L. (2001). Obsessive-compulsive disorder and traumatic brain injury: behavioral, cognitive, and neuroimaging findings. Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, 14(1), 23-31.
Boileau, B. (2022). A review of obsessive-compulsive disorder in children and adolescents. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience.
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Hershfield, J., & Corboy, T. (2020). The mindfulness workbook for OCD: A guide to overcoming obsessions and compulsions using mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy. New Harbinger Publications.
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