Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that affects millions of people worldwide.

It’s a disorder that causes individuals to be preoccupied with unwanted thoughts, images, and/or impulses (obsessions) that lead to the development of repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions).

What Is OCD?

OCD is a type of anxiety disorder that can be debilitating and affect your daily life, relationships, and work.

It’s a chronic condition that often develops in adolescence or early adulthood, and it typically persists throughout your lifetime if left untreated.

There’s no specific cause of OCD, but researchers believe a combination of genetic, environmental, and neurological factors may increase your risk of developing the condition.

People who have experienced traumatic events, have a family history of OCD, or have an imbalanced level of certain neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) like serotonin may be more susceptible to developing OCD.

30 Signs That You May Have OCD

Whether you’re experiencing unwanted thoughts or repetitive behaviors, here are 30 signs that you may have OCD:.

1. Intense fear of germs or contamination

If you’re afraid of germs and spend an inordinate amount of time washing your hands or avoiding public places, you may have OCD.

2. Need for symmetry, orderliness, or exactness

People with OCD may need to have things arranged or organized in a specific way to feel at ease.

This could manifest in behaviors like arranging objects in a straight line, walking a certain number of steps on a sidewalk, or counting objects over and over.

3. Need to check things repeatedly

If you have a compulsion to check things repeatedly, such as double-checking the locks or appliances, you may have OCD. This behavior can be time-consuming and cause significant distress.

4. Fear of causing harm to yourself or others

People with OCD may have unwanted thoughts about harming themselves or others and may take extreme measures to prevent it.

5. Excessive doubting

If you feel like you need to re-read, re-write or ask for reassurance over and over again to make sure everything is okay, you may be experiencing excessive doubting, which is a common symptom of OCD.

6. Need to repeat actions or words

If you feel like you have to repeat specific actions or utter particular words to avoid bad things from happening, you may have OCD.

7. Fear of losing things

People with OCD may have irrational fears surrounding losing things, leading them to hoard personal possessions and cluttering their living space.

8. Excessive praying

If you feel like you need to say prayers repeatedly, have trouble finishing up the prayers or engaging in religious rituals in a particular order, you may have OCD.

9. Sense that things are not right

If you have a gut feeling that things aren’t right, you might be experiencing a common symptom of OCD where perception becomes distorted.

10. Inability to tolerate imperfection

If you get frustrated over minor imperfections, such as a minuscule stain on a perfectly clean shirt, you might have OCD.

11. Difficulty making decisions

People with OCD tend to overanalyze every detail and may struggle with making decisions, which can cause significant distress.

12. Distressing thoughts or images that go against their own values

People with OCD may experience distressing, unwanted thoughts or images that go against their values or beliefs, such as violent or sexual content.

These thoughts can cause considerable anxiety and lead to repetitive behaviors to neutralize the distress caused by the thoughts.

Related Article How to recognize if you have obsessive compulsive disorder

13. Avoidance of certain situations, people or places

If you tend to avoid specific situations, people or places due to strong anxiety or fear, it can be a sign of OCD.

14. Need to perform behaviors for a certain length of time

People with OCD may have to repeat specific behaviors for a particular time, such as brushing their hair for ten minutes straight or counting to 100 before taking the first step out of bed.

15. Inability to throw out things that are no longer needed

If you find it hard to throw out things that have no practical use—even though they take up space and create chaos—you might be experiencing a common symptom of OCD.

16. Fascinated with order and symmetry

Some people with OCD may feel a strong captivation with orderliness and symmetry to the point that they may have to repeat behaviors until the pattern is perfect.

17. Ritualistic behaviors before bed or when starting the day

If you have specific actions that you feel like you must repeat every night before bed, or every morning before starting your day, you might have OCD.

18. Cleaning too much

People with OCD may spend an inordinate amount of time cleaning and sanitizing things until they feel clean to a point that even others might find unnecessary.

19. Irrational concerns over aggression

Some people with OCD might hold irrational concerns for being aggressive or angry when it’s inappropriate, even when their behavior indicates otherwise.

20. Need to have everything even

If you have to even out everything from food on plates to door handles or anything that’s placed uneven or out of alignment might be a sign of OCD.

21. Cleaning up after others

If you feel obligated to clean up after others excessively or fix their mistakes, even when appreciated, you might have OCD.

22. Constantly seeking reassurance

If you find yourself constantly seeking reassurance from others, experts or online resources, it could be a sign of OCD.

23. Painstaking attention to detail

People with OCD might feel the need to achieve perfection in things that others consider insignificant or minute details that others don’t even notice.

For instance, straightening all the newspapers in a store, polishing the doorknob so much that it shines are only a few examples.

24. Getting stuck thinking about a topic or question

If you happen to get stuck thinking about a particular topic or question—for instance, what would happen if you didn’t repeatedly wash your hands? This behavior leads to repetitive questions in your mind, an inability to concentrate on other things, difficulty sleeping or getting rest, and may be a sign of OCD.

25. Mental images and intrusive thoughts

Recurrent mental images of violent or sexual scenes, as well as problematic intrusive thoughts that are opposite to your beliefs and values, might be a sign of OCD.

26. Difficulty in resisting thoughts or impulses

If you feel like you’re unable to resist the urge to complete an action, such as checking a lock on your door or washing your hands, you might have OCD.

27. Counting constantly

Counting things like stairs, phone numbers, or other objects repeatedly might be a sign of OCD.

28. A need for constant reassurance

If you’re constantly seeking reassurance from others about your actions or choices, you could be experiencing a common symptom of OCD.

29. Difficulty throwing away anything

People with OCD may experience a compulsion to hold onto personal possessions, even if they serve no practical purpose and only add to clutter and chaos.

30. Recurrent doubts over whether your actions are morally acceptable

People with OCD might continually obsess over whether their actions are acceptable from a moral standpoint, which can lead to repeated behavior or mental acts.

Conclusion

There are many different symptoms of OCD, and it’s important to remember that everyone experiences the disorder differently.

If you are experiencing the signs mentioned above, it’s recommended that you visit with a professional mental health specialist to determine whether you have OCD and get the necessary help.