How do I know if I have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

Has it happened to you that you ever return repeatedly to see if the door of the house is okay? closed, you sort by size and color everything you find around you or wash your hands very frequency? Well, these are some possible behaviors in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). But... Do not panic! Next we will see what this peculiar disorder consists of and we will review some aids to know if you suffer from it or not.

• Related article: "Obsessive Personality: 8 Habits That Lead to Obsession"

Basic OCD Diagnostic Criteria

For a person to be diagnosed with OCD it has to meet some criteria reviewed by the health professional. The first is that it must present obsession, compulsion, or both. But... what is an obsession and what is a compulsion?

obsessions are recurring thoughts, impulses, or images that are characterized as intrusive and unwanted. This causes the person anxiety and discomfort. They must be egodystonic, that is, go against one's personality. For example, it happens to a person characterized by being calm, kind and empathic who has intrusive thoughts of hurting someone. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors and/or mental acts performed in order to prevent or reduce anxiety and discomfort caused by obsessions. When doing it, relief is achieved, and when it is not done, anxiety increases.

obsessions and/or compulsions time consuming and may cause clinical discomfort or deterioration in various areas in which the person is immersed (work, study, family). Great care must be taken not to confuse its symptoms with side effects of drugs, disease, or other disorders. The onset of this disorder is more common in adulthood and is more common in women.

• You may be interested in: "The 16 most common mental disorders"

degrees of introspection

There are varying degrees of introspection in OCD. That is, the degree to which people believe that what happens in their intrusive thoughts will pass if certain repetitive behavior is not carried out. The person will believe that the intrusive thoughts (obsession) are likely to manifest if they do not do the repetitive behavior (compulsion).

For example, the person who puts a lock on all the doors and windows and goes to check on many occasions that they are properly locked, since he believes that if he doesn't do that he could die. These behaviors become constant rituals, since there is a feeling that if these acts are not carried out, the obsession will become a material reality.

What you should know

Now you can breathe easy! Or not. You already have all the basic information to intuit whether or not your repetitive behaviors are OCD.

If you perform or have performed repeated behaviors, you can do the exercise analyze the purpose of said behaviors. That is the key to clarify your doubt of whether or not you have OCD. Check the door a lot to make sure it is closed, always walk on the left side, accommodate at all times glasses, biting your lips all the time, organizing objects by size and color or washing your hands with frequency... They are behaviors that by themselves do not say much. It is essential to identify if these acts seek or have the objective of eradicating or diminishing some obsession.

You also have to be careful not to confuse it with obsessive-compulsive personality traits. or with symptoms of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, which are topics for another article.

Due to the effectiveness of treating OCD when it is just emerging, It is important that you see a mental health professional. if you observe any type of intrusive thought and/or repetitive behavior or mental act, since only in this way can the definitive diagnosis be made.

Bibliographic references:

• American Psychiatric Association., et al. DSM-5: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Madrid