OCD: The Facts! Test your knowledge QUIZ

FALSE: Even though people with OCD often feel anxious or worried, the main issue is a cycle of obsessions (unwanted experiences) and compulsions (repetitive behaviors). In addition, not everyone with OCD experiences anxiety. Other feelings, like something not feeling “right,” or feelings of disgust or guilt, can occur instead. For these and other reasons, OCD is put in a separate category called Obsessive Compulsive Related Disorders.

FALSE: The "D" in OCD stands for "disorder," so while everyone might have some unwanted thoughts or habits sometimes, that doesn’t mean we all have a little OCD. To receive a diagnosis, someone’s symptoms must be highly distressing, take up a lot of time, and get in the way of important activities like school, work, or social life. Studies show that only about 1-2% of people have OCD.

TRUE: A recent (2021) study found that it takes about 13 years for someone to receive a proper diagnosis after OCD symptoms start and then another 1.45 years before a diagnosed patient begins effective treatment.

TRUE: Many people with OCD experience a lot of doubt that makes them feel unsure about their experiences, decisions, or even themselves. The uncomfortable feelings associated with this doubt causes them to try to achieve certainty by using compulsions like asking for reassurance or checking things over and over. It can work for a time, but doubt always returns. As a result, trying to gain control over doubt usually leads to a loss of control over one’s life.

FALSE: There is no “cure” for OCD. However, the good news is that OCD is highly treatable. With the proper treatment people learn to manage their symptoms and OCD becomes much smaller and no longer takes over their lives. A good place to start is to check out our OCD resources on the Anxiety Canada website.

FALSE: OCD can make you think that the only way to make everything okay is by doing certain rituals. But even if you do the rituals, your obsessions can come right back and bad things can still happen. Compulsions can make you feel better for a moment, but they prevent you from learning that you can handle things without them. Often, relying on compulsions leads to the very problems you're trying to avoid.

FALSE: While obsessions can produce a lot of uncomfortable feelings, they are not actually dangerous and trying to escape them contributes to the cycle that makes things worse not better. Accepting the presence of the obsessions, riding out their discomfort, and reducing the use of compulsions allows you to break the cycle and focus on living the life you want.

TRUE: OCD symptoms can look different for different people, but they all have the same basic causes and can be treated with similar approaches. While treatment doesn’t always work for everyone, there’s no reason to think someone’s symptoms are too unusual or different to improve.

FALSE: Although some people may not show obvious compulsions, they can still have them. Compulsions can include things like avoiding certain situations or repeating mental actions, like analyzing thoughts, thinking in patterns, or telling oneself over and over that everything will be okay.

TRUE: People with OCD often rely on their loved ones to help them avoid or get rid of their obsessions. When loved ones start doing this, they can get caught up in the OCD cycle and feel its negative effects. Sometimes, they end up dealing with more of the problem than the person with OCD, which can stop the person from seeing how serious it is.