How to Identify Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder marker by unwanted thoughts and compulsive behavioral rituals. Each person who is affected by OCD displays different components and manifestations of the disorder but it is generally not a hard affliction to diagnose. Follow these steps to identify Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Look for nonsensical behavioral patterns related to anxiety evoking thoughts.
   
   Many people who suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder often feel the need to carry out rituals in an attempt to keep an unrelated, undesirable event from occurring. For example, a man might wash his hands compulsively in order to prevent his mother from being in an auto accident.

2. Check for reoccurring, unwanted thoughts.
   
   Obsessive compulsive Disorder symptoms often involve obsessing over certain things and events. People with OCD may express difficulty in “turning thoughts off”. Sometimes the thoughts revolve around events or situations which are within the individual’s control, such as foreboding accidents. The person may try to counteract the lack of control by performing rituals, or compulsions.

3. Examine whether there is an overall anxiety issue at hand.
   
   OCD may only look like an anxiety behavior from an outside point of view. It may take the shape of expressed worries and seemingly meaningless fidgeting.

4. Ensure that the person is aware that the obsessions and compulsions are illogical.
   
   People with OCD are completely sane, and they realize their thoughts and behaviors are not aligned with reality, though that does not always serve as enough to relieve a person of the associated stress.

Resources

• How to Take Control of Your own Life