Signs and symptoms
With OCD you will have obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours, which are where you may have a ritual/perform a certain ‘act’ repetitively where it will give you a short sense of relief. Signs and symptoms of OCD can be any of the following:
- Having disturbing thoughts consistently (violent and unsettling thoughts)
- Unable to control your thoughts
- Your mind is somewhere else, and you can’t focus on anything else expect that thought, you are consumed by it
- You may become very paranoid
- You may repeat certain behaviours e.g. you may have a bad thought and your compulsion may be staying in the same place until you have counter-acted your bad thought
- Unable to stop your rituals
- You feel like you have wasted your day because you are consumed by your thought
- You feel powerless like you can’t control your own mind
- It affects your mood
- Excessively double checking of things
- Doubting yourself and your own actions
- Feeling sick, anxious and unsettled
As soon as I had an intrusive thought, I terrified myself into thinking it would happen.
— Katy M
