Do I Have OCD? Symptom Checklist

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a common mental illness that involves altered and repeated thought patterns that affect behavior. Different intrusive and obsessive thoughts appear in the mind that urge the individuals to perform any compulsive behavior to get rid of anxiety. If you suspect that you are dealing with this mental illness, then you can identify the symptoms with the help of an OCD symptom checklist. 

Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Symptoms Checklist 

Individuals suffering from OCD exhibit the following common symptoms:

Obsessions: These involve undesired, unwanted, and intrusive thoughts. Although affected individuals make efforts to get rid of their negative thoughts, they fail to stop them from repeated occurrence in their minds.

Compulsions: Compulsions are the repeated behaviors of OCD patients. They feel that with the help of compulsions, they can overcome their anxiety. 

Obsessive thoughts 

You might have experienced undesired or intrusive thoughts, such as you forgot to lock the door or put off the stove. Likewise, you suddenly start thinking negatively about others. If this condition occurs less often, then there is no issue. However, if this condition persists and also interrupts your other normal thought patterns, then you are dealing with obsessions. Any kind of repeated thought that induces the symptoms of anxiety is considered an obsessive thought. Some common examples of obsessive thoughts are as follows:

• Fear of getting harmed by any incident or attacking others, especially loved ones
• Fear of contamination or getting infected by any lethal diseases
• Urge to get everything in symmetry
• Fear of sexual thoughts 
• Seeing unexplained images
• Hearing weird voices or sounds

Although all these thoughts are quite disturbing, remember that you can prevent all such obsessive thoughts and the associated anxiety. 

Compulsive behaviour

The repetition of any specific behavior to overcome the anxiety caused by the compulsions is compulsive behavior. The following are the most common examples of compulsive behavior:

• Cleaning of hands multiple times due to fear of contamination
• Uttering or repetition of words in the mind
• Checking the lock multiple times
• Counting things again and again
• Repeatedly arranging things in a specific order
• Getting reassurance from others
• Hiding objects due to fear of harm
• Avoiding social engagements or sources that trigger obsession
• Hoarding

Most of the individuals remain undiagnosed with OCD symptoms, and therefore, their compulsive behaviors are also not considered. Although individuals with OCD do not find pleasure in compulsions, they still spend extra time doing compulsions. 

Checklist of Common OCD Symptoms

Obsessions about contamination

Excessive worry about contamination of germs and getting infected by environmental toxins

Fear of getting infected from any chronic illness

Extreme concern with household items

Feeling disgusted with sticky substances

Fear of getting any infection from animals

Obsessive thoughts about one’s body

Obsessions about Inspection & Repeating 

Asking certain questions multiple times

Repeatedly rewriting of certain words or phrases

Doing the same routine activity again and again

Checking locks, windows, stoves, or other valuable things

Checking mistakes over and over again, even after completing the task

Obsessions for Symmetry

Aligning things multiple times

Excessive concern about safety hygiene

Repeatedly thinking of cleaning the environment

Repeatedly making the order of certain items on a table 

Obsessions for Aggressive Behavior

Fear of harming others or showing any aggressive behavior

Avoiding sharp or offensive objects like scissors

Occurrence of violent images in mind

Excessive worry about showing insulting behavior toward others

Obsessions for Food or eating patterns

Extra concerns for body weight

Excessive fear of the intake of any toxin

Abnormal concerns with food measurements

Obsessions related to hoarding

Making a collection of things instead of discarding them

Excessive fear of losing anything valuable

Obsessions related to sexual behavior

Fear of showing inappropriate sexual behavior toward others

Fear of homosexuality

Occurrence of unwanted sexual thoughts in the mind

Obsessions related to religion

Fear of blasphemy

Excessive concerns about morality 

Obsessions with superstitious things

Strong belief in some numbers

Other obsessions

Desire to touch anything multiple times

Fear of saying anything wrong

Showing any behaviour linked with superstitious thoughts

Weird sensation toward sounds, voices, or some signals

Asking certain things for reassurance

How can OCD be diagnosed?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder can be diagnosed by professional mental health experts. They perform both physical and psychological evaluations to assess the mental condition better. With the help of physical evaluation, they can determine if the person has any other physical illness. 

However, the main role of psychological evaluation is to analyze symptoms and determine previous medical and family history. Experts also deeply analyze individuals’ behavior to gain a complete insight into their beliefs, fears, obsessions, and compulsions. After completing the diagnostic process, they develop a therapeutic strategy to treat the obsessive-compulsive disorder. 

What are the risk factors of OCD?

The most common risk factors of obsessive-compulsive disorder are as follows:

Gender 

Although both males and females are suffering from OCD, there are still some major differences. Males are at more risk of developing OCD in their childhood stages as compared to females. However, females can suffer from OCD at any point in their life. 

Likewise, there is also diversity in the types of OCD in both men and women. Women are most affected by cleaning and contamination obsessions, while males, on the other hand, exhibit obsessions related to symmetry or organization as well as sexuality. 

Genetic factors

Genes are also responsible for the onset of OCD as they are transferred from parent to child and result in the onset of OCD. Similarly, the presence of genes in siblings is also one of the major risk factors for developing the disease. 

Environmental stressors

Different environmental stress factors can contribute to the development of OCD in individuals, such as:

• Trauma
• Personal loss
• Professional loss
• Brain injury

What is the impact of OCD on life?

OCD can have a major negative impact on the lives of individuals in the following ways:

Emotional instability 

Individuals dealing with OCD are unable to regulate their intense emotions. Their mind remains stuck in the continuous stream of anxiety and fear, etc. In addition, they feel more that they have multiple personality flaws and can be judged and criticized by others.

Excessive time consumption

As OCD individuals spend a significant amount of time doing their compulsive behaviors, they face difficulty in investing their valuable time in productive activities of their daily lives. 

Poor academic performance 

Due to the intrusive and obsessive thoughts, adolescents or teenagers with ADHD do not pay attention in classrooms. This ultimately impairs their academic performance and they fail to get good marks. 

Lack of financial performance

Adults with OCD are unable to focus on their meetings or meeting deadlines. Therefore, they also face multiple issues in their professional life. 

Relationship issues 

Due to persistent obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior, individuals do not easily maintain their relationships with their loved ones.

Social isolation

Due to their fear of triggering obsessions, they usually exhibit avoidance behavior and prefer to avoid social interactions.

Physical impact 

Some compulsive behaviors also lead to physical issues. For example, excessive hand-washing rituals can cause skin irritation or any other undesired physical sensations or discomfort.

Co-occurring mental issues 

OCD can also co-occur with other common mental issues such as anxiety and depression, etc. 

What are the treatment options for OCD?

Whether you are suffering from mild or severe OCD symptoms, you should get the finest treatment. If you want to protect your mind from obsessions and compulsions and live a quality life, then get benefit from the finest therapeutic strategy that comprises psychiatric medications, psychotherapy, and significant lifestyle changes. 

Medications

Psychiatric medications are specialized medications that are used to deal with the symptoms of mental health disorders. If you are suffering from severe symptoms and want to manage them to prevent their effect on your life, then psychiatric medications are useful. Some experts only recommend the intake of psychiatric medications, but some prefer the combined usage of both medications and psychotherapy. Different medications are recommended by the experts, but among them, the following are majorly recommended:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors 

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the specific types of antidepressants that are used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder. The major role of SSRIs is to regulate the level of specific neurotransmitters in the brain. With the help of neurotransmitters, obsessions and compulsions get reduced, and ultimately, mood also gets improved. However, always get a psychiatric recommendation before the intake of medications because the appropriate dosage and medication regimen are essential to get rid of OCD symptoms.

Psychotherapies

Psychotherapies are considered the best option to treat mental health issues, including OCD. Different psychotherapies are used to treat or prevent the symptoms of OCD, including cognitive behavioral therapy. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy 

Cognitive behavioral therapy is highly beneficial in overcoming obsessions and compulsions. Mental health professionals interact with OCD patients and then assist them in identifying those beliefs and thought patterns that are not based on reality. 

Moreover, they guide them on how to free their minds from negative feelings and prevent the associated negative behavior. Individuals learn that their brains are not functioning effectively and are sending error messages. After identifying these messages, they learn to respond according to them and control their obsessions and compulsions. Individuals suffering from OCD usually suffer from the wrong misinterpretations. Therefore, experts guide them to avoid such thoughts and consider the evidence to get accurate interpretations. 

Exposure therapy

Exposure therapy is another form of psychotherapy that is useful in preventing obsessive and compulsive behaviors. Most individuals suffering from OCD usually repeat any behavior to get rid of their stress or anxiety. So, professionals employ exposure and response prevention therapy to treat this mental issue. They first ask the individuals to list their obsessions or fears and then arrange them according to intensity. They are asked to face the fears from decreasing to increasing intensity. Then, they are exposed to their obsessions and avoid exhibiting compulsive behavior. With time, individuals learn to stop the repetitive behaviors involved in OCD. 

Acceptance and commitment therapy

As the name indicates, this therapy involves accepting obsessive thoughts and getting power from them. Therapists ask the individual not to overlook their obsessive thoughts and accept them to learn from them and live a purposeful life while combating OCD.

Self-care/ Preventive strategies

There are some effective preventive strategies for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). One is to develop a healthy routine in which you eat healthy food and avoid fat-containing or harmful foods. Another is to make a sleep schedule so you wake up and sleep early, and feel energetic throughout the day. Furthermore, you should also perform exercises or physical workouts regularly to protect your mind from common mental health issues, such as OCD. 

Seek professional OCD treatment at Brainpower Wellness Institute.

Brainpower Wellness Institute is an exceptional mental health platform that offers the best mental health services to treat common mental issues including OCD. If you or someone you know is battling with obsessive-compulsive disorder, then stop taking stress as we are here for your professional help. We have OCD specialists who provide the best OCD solutions so you get rid of your obsessions and compulsions and cherish your life.