Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is one of the more well-known mental health conditions today. It’s a mental health disorder that is characterized by unwanted, intrusive, and persistent thoughts or obsessions that come with repetitive behaviors known as compulsions.
But did you know there are actually several different types of OCD? One of these is checking OCD. Let’s learn more about what checking OCD is and how you can manage its symptoms.
What Is Checking OCD?
Checking OCD is a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder that involves a need to constantly check things. For example, someone might repeatedly check whether the oven is on or off, or whether a door is locked. A person with checking OCD may feel that they cannot relax and be comfortable unless they perform these checking compulsions many times.
The Cause
All forms of OCD occur with a cycle of intrusive thoughts or fears followed by compulsions, but there isn’t one specific cause for checking OCD. Similar to other forms of OCD, there are a variety of elements that can lead to checking OCD. Behavioral, cognitive, environmental, genetic, and neurobiological factors can all contribute to this disorder.
The compulsions that come along with OCD can help to reduce anxiety in the short term. However, using compulsions to relieve negative emotions can turn into a vicious cycle. They become an essential part of finding relief from feelings of anxiety and harder to stop.
The Signs and Symptoms
With OCD, there are both obsessions and compulsions. The most common obsessions of checking OCD include concerns about one’s health and safety, worrying about failing or making a mistake, and acting or behaving inappropriately. Some compulsions that a person with checking OCD might perform include the following:
Avoidance
Avoidance is something that a person with checking OCD might use to avoid taking responsibility and even escape their anxiety. This can help them to not check or recheck certain things. For example, if another family member or friend is the last person to leave a home, they would be responsible for making sure things are turned off or closed.
Inspecting Items
Checking OCD can involve physically inspecting or examining items more closely. This is done to ensure that something is off or closed. Some individuals with checking OCD may even snap a photo to reference later as proof of something being done.
Replaying Past Events
Someone dealing with checking OCD might have a circular stream of thoughts constantly playing in their head. It can feel like they have a million tabs open in their browser. To make sure they don’t do anything wrong or make any mistakes, they might spend a lot of time replaying certain events in their head.
Seeking Reassurance
Constantly seeking reassurance is another tactic that a person with checking OCD might use to feel better about their anxieties. It sometimes looks like asking another person whether they witnessed them complete a certain action. Getting another’s perspective can make someone with OCD feel more confident that they did in fact complete an action.
How It Impacts People
As with many forms of mental health disorders, checking OCD can affect a person’s daily life and routine. It can cause them to fixate on their obsessions, fears, and compulsions throughout daily life, even influencing their every thought and move. This type of fixation can cause significant added stress.
Treatment Options
If you’re struggling with the signs and symptoms of checking OCD, it’s important to know that you’re not alone and that help is available to you. There are forms of therapy, such as exposure and response prevention (ERP), that are highly effective for OCD. Reach out today to learn more about how OCD therapy can help you.
