Have you ever heard someone say they’re “so OCD?” Maybe they tell you that you’re “so OCD” when they see how you’ve organized your room or run inside to check if the oven is on. People throw this term around, but what does it really mean? Is OCD just about keeping your clothes neatly folded? Is there some “OCD test” that you can take? And if you have OCD, what should you do next?

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Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is not a term to throw around flippantly. It describes a very serious disorder that can have a great effect on a person’s daily life and mental health. If you find that you exhibit some signs of this disorder, consider reaching out to a mental health professional.

What Is OCD?Signs and Symptoms of OCDHow to Treat and Manage OCDOCD Test QuestionsResults

What Is OCD?

Signs and Symptoms of OCD

How to Treat and Manage OCD

OCD Test Questions

Results

Having an “obsession” in the context of OCD is not just obsessing over a celebrity or really loving a new song. Obsessions are a series of thoughts or impulses that a person cannot control. Instead of being able to control their thoughts, a person with OCD has obsessions that seem to controlthem.

Obsessions vary, but include:

These are not “cute” or quirky obsessions. They are often embarrassing, taboo, or things that a person does not want to admit to themselves or others.

Examples of rituals include:

These rituals can hold a person back from having a job, maintaining relationships, or doing the things that they want to do in life.

Washing your hands for 20 seconds is not considered a ritual. Turning the tap on and off 10 times every time you need to wash or clean may be considered a ritual. Other signs you or a loved one may be experiencing OCD include:

OCD Looks Differently in Everyone

Not every person experiencing OCD has to flip a light switch 100 times or keep track of and organize every single pen in their office. OCD presents itself differently in everyone, but all cases of OCD boil down to obsessions and rituals. An OCD test focuses mainly on these obsessions and rituals.

Support groups and online forums can help you connect with other people who experience OCD. The OCD subreddit, for example, contains multiple posts and threads from people who want to share their experiences. Here’s what a few people had to say about OCD.

“my brain thinks about something that makes me uncomfortable and i don’t want to think about it. then, my brain will keep thinking about it over and over because it feels like i’ll eventually reach some sort of ‘solution’, but that solution never comes. so all im really doing is continuously thinking about something that makes me anxious, until i feel sick.”

“When I have intrusive thoughts or I’m ruminating about something, I end up tensing every muscle in my body and quietly writhe, sometimes for a few minutes. I feel like if I don’t let out that emotion physically I might in other ways. It’s worst when I’m alone, but when I’m in public I’ll still do it with parts of my body that no one will notice. Is this just me?”

“Just wanted to vent/share some thoughts as this exposure happened about 40 minutes ago. I’m a guy and I have contamination ocd, specifically about the worry of getting my body fluids on things, I have only done a few general counseling sessions over the phone but will finally meet with a psychiatrist after months of waiting for an appointment. I live with my parents and 3 siblings. I hadn’t done the dishes in a while because we hadn’t gotten dish washing gloves. Despite not having them, I decided to wash the dishes with just my bare hands (having washed them with soap and sanitized them with sanitizer before hand).

I tried doing them slowly and when I poured dish soap over the dishes in the sink, the intrusive thoughts kicked in. “What if that wasn’t dish soap that you put over them and instead was another liquid?” “What if you got body fluids on the sponge and now your spreading them onto the dishes as your washing them?” I did most of them but then asked my Mom if she could finish the rest of them as she was getting home since I started feeling a bit lightheaded. I feel disappointed in myself for overthinking washing dishes and for the thoughts/questions that were running in my head as I was doing them and now still slightly anxious.”

All of these stories are very different, but interesting examples of OCD. OCD can have some embarrassing and significant effects on a person’s life, so be kind to those who do experience OCD.

As not all cases of OCD are the same, the most effective treatments vary. Most people experiencing OCD can manage their symptoms with a combination of therapy and medications. If you want to pursue either of these options, you must first reach out to a mental health professional. Many therapists specialize in obsessive-compulsive disorders and similar symptoms, but they take different approaches to treatment.

Unlikely Experiencing OCD

You do not seem to display many signs and symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder. If you do believe that you are experiencing anxiety, depression, or any other mental health conditions, reach out to a mental health professional.

Signs of Stress

Although it seems that you are experiencing signs of stress, it is unlikely that your behaviors are symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Take time to engage in mindfulness, journaling, or other stress-reducing practices. If you find that your stress is interfering with your life, reach out to a mental health professional.

Signs of Anxiety

Anxiety may not be controlling your life, but it does seem to make an impact on how you spend your day. Reach out to a mental health professional for anxiety.

Signs of OCD

You appear to be showing some signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder. This result is in no way a diagnosis. Reach out to a mental health professional to discuss how obsessions, intrusive thoughts, or various rituals may be affecting your day-to-day life.

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Reference this article:Practical Psychology. (2022, May).OCD Test (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Quiz + Signs).Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/ocd-test/.Practical Psychology. (2022, May). OCD Test (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Quiz + Signs). Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/ocd-test/.Copy

Reference this article:

Practical Psychology. (2022, May).OCD Test (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Quiz + Signs).Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/ocd-test/.Practical Psychology. (2022, May). OCD Test (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Quiz + Signs). Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/ocd-test/.Copy

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