Unlike other mental disorders, people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are aware of their condition. Symptoms tend to be obvious. However, many of us struggle with mental health in ways we don’t often evaluate.

That said, OCD can go unnoticed or undiagnosed. Especially if symptoms aren’t obvious. Throughout this blog, we’re going to take a deeper look into 7 of these patterns of thought found in people with OCD.

1.) You Write Down a Lot of Reminders

Writing down daily reminders isn’t an immediate sign of OCD. We all have busy lives and can forget little necessities.

However, people with OCD may find themselves constantly writing things down or, worse yet, fearing that they’ll forget even a minor task. It’s not necessarily the organization that’s the problem. Rather, it’s the obsession with organization.

People with OCD are compulsive to write down tasks so they won’t forget. In fact, the process of writing this information often gets in the way of completing the task. As a result, the habit can actually cause OCD to get worse.

2.) You Clean Your Home More Than Necessary

One aspect of OCD that’s often overlooked is completing tasks in fear of what will happen if they aren’t completed.

Cleaning your house is a perfect example of this. We all need a spring cleaning every so often to freshen up our living environments. In fact, making our home environments clean is actually very positive for our mental health.

However, people with OCD aren’t necessarily focused on the outcome. Instead, they’re concerned about a house becoming too messy.

Why? Simply put, messy homes are unorganized. They put a person with OCD in a situation where they won’t be able to properly navigate their living environment. As a result, this can trigger more symptoms.

You may find yourself compulsively reorganizing furniture, clothes, or anything else in your house so everything looks perfect.

3.) You Need to Double-Check Everything

One of the more obvious signs of OCD is double-checking. The habit of making sure everything is in perfect order. Whether this be your list of reminders or the lock on your front door, double-checking (and, sometimes, triple-checking) is a surefire sign you struggle with OCD.

Still, this is an aspect of compulsion many may be unaware of. More often than not, a person with OCD feels as though they’re more at risk of harm if they don’t double-check.

It’s normal for you to do a double-check every so often for little things. But if you find yourself re-checking multiple times throughout the day, you may want to evaluate other behavioral patterns.

4.) You Prefer When Things Are Symmetrical

Don’t get us wrong, symmetry always makes a space more pleasant. However, if you feel the need to make sure things are symmetric, whether in your home or someone else’s, that could be a sign of OCD.

Consider this, do you have trouble completing a task if things aren’t symmetric? For example, you may find it difficult to go out and leave your home if the pillows on your bed aren’t in perfect order.

5.) You’re Consistently Re-Thinking a Situation

Overthinking is common among everyone. In many cases, there’s no way to avoid overthinking from time to time.

What we’re talking about goes deeper than simply overthinking. If you find yourself constantly thinking over a specific situation or memory (notably, in your alone time), you may struggle with OCD.

This may cause you to take the time to re-think a situation, conversation, or other interaction. Or, you may even rehearse (act out) an upcoming one.

Of course, not all OCD will involve outward actions. In other words, you may find yourself simply thinking out these scenarios rather than physically revealing them.

6.) You Need Reassurance

We all need reassurance from time to time. These interactions trigger chemicals in our brains that make us feel better about ourselves. However, it’s common for those with OCD to constantly need assurance.

Such assurance is usually over racing thoughts. And these thoughts can vary, depending on how intrusive they are.

For example, you may need reassurance over an action you did that you consider to be morally wrong. Or, over an interaction that left you feeling embarrassed.

7.) You’re a Perfectionist

Being a perfectionist doesn’t necessarily mean you have OCD. A lot of us feel incomplete unless a task is completed to its utmost perfection.

However, people with OCD often struggle with perfectionism. Beyond being a high achiever, a person with OCD will most likely feel obsessed (or compulsive) about doing things perfectly.

Final Word

The signs of OCD mentioned above are simply a way for you to figure out whether or not you’re struggling with this disorder. If you struggle with one of these signs, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have OCD.

However, if you struggle with a handful of these signs, there’s a higher likelihood you have OCD.

Still, the only true way to find out such information is by reaching out to a medical professional. We’re all different in how we react to the world around us. By consulting someone well-trained in mental health, you’ll receive a personalized reference on your mental situation.