OCD is often highly misunderstood and stigmatized, and people often spend years—even decades—before learning that they have the condition. When people finally figure out that what they struggle with has a name, it can give them a completely fresh perspective. So how do people actually end up finding out that they have OCD? Here are some of the most common ways that people share with us: Searching their thoughts online. It’s very common for people to learn about OCD by Googling some of the thoughts or behaviors they’ve experienced. This can involve anything from looking for reassurance (“Is it normal to check on my baby every hour at night?”) to searching for information about OCD specifically (“Do I have OCD?”). Word of mouth. Other people’s experiences can be powerful and illuminating. It’s not uncommon for people to recognize their own OCD symptoms by speaking with a family member who also struggles with the condition, a coworker who received ERP therapy in the past, or a friend who shares their own intrusive thoughts. Social media. It’s probably not surprising to hear that social media has allowed many people to learn about others with similar experiences. Whether it’s from a personal story on TikTok or someone setting the record straight in the comments of a misinformed Facebook post, social media makes a wide range of information about OCD accessible. Podcasts, TV, and movies. Many popular podcasts about mental health or even related topics like parenting can give people access to information about OCD. And while many depictions of OCD in TV shows and movies are inaccurate or rely on stereotypes, they can lead people to recognize real OCD symptoms in their own lives. Mental healthcare providers or doctors. While it’s not uncommon, people find out that they have OCD from clinical sources less often than you’d think. When they do, it can come after years of confusion, misdiagnosis, and seeing several different providers in a search for answers. How did you first learn that you might have OCD? Reply with your own story below.

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Dealt with intrusive thoughts and mental compulsions since I was 5 or 6. I remember breaking down crying in first grade cause of it. Family wasn't sure what was going on and didn't know where to look so fealt all we could really do is pray about it. The symptoms went away after awhile, occasionally manifesting itself to a lesser extent but it recently flared up again this past few weeks and that's when I started researching and asking questions cause I was panicked and confused. Turns out my dad had experienced OCD as a young adult. At the same time, I started looking at therapy. Just got diagnosed last week. It's definitely waxed and waned so I'm hoping I get the help, and medication if necessary, to finally overcome this.

Researching about intrusive thoughts, finding out about OCD UK and then feeling very seen when I saw all my obsessions and compulsions listed. I wasn't diagnosed until a few months later but it helped give a name to what I was dealing with. I just knew it wasn't normal (no one around me seemed to be dealing with the same) and my usual coping mechanisms weren't working

my regular therapist suggested I see a psychiatrist to prescribe me medication for my “anxiety”. After my consultation she wanted to prescribe me Prozac and diagnosed me with generalized anxiety disorder. However, she said she was prescribing me Prozac because it was one of the medications used to treat OCD and said my anxiety was on the OCD spectrum… I started googling OCD symptoms (which took a lot of courage) because I was terrified of finding out I had schizophrenia or something and yeah turns out I had OCD.

I had severe contamination OCD when I was 10, but I truly thought I was normal and everyone else was just gross😅my mom kind of forced me to see a psychiatrist and I was diagnosed with OCD. But I think I’ve had it all my life. As far back as I can remember, I had “just right” OCD before the contamination. It really wasn’t until I had my son a few months ago that I started to realize I’ve had ocd all along; I thought when I stopped being so worried about contamination that the ocd went away but it didn’t. It just switched themes.

Mine started as a joke in Middle school when all my books needed to be stacked a certain way or I couldn’t focus so my peers just kept saying I was OCD but I later realized other behaviors that were consistent with that as well. Needless to say, I’ve since been diagnosed

Mine was when I kept diagnosing and swearing up and down I had a terminal illness. I ended up leaving work to get a full blown blood test. The entire 3-4 months I was freaking I started compulsively praying more than usual and I had to finish “rituals/challenges” or I would get terminally sick. I’ve always had this problem but the only reason I got diagnosed was because I thought to myself “this is so weird, normal people don’t think this way, normal people don’t freak out like this” I got checked for “anxiety” and got diagnosed for “OCD.”

Diagnosing myself ***

I saw an article in a magazine which mentioned the book, “The Boy Who Couldn’t Stop Washing.” I think that’s the first time I heard about obsessive compulsive disorder. I knew I had problems with getting disturbing thoughts in my head that I couldn’t get rid of. I felt that’s what I probably had.

I always had intrusive thoughts and did compulsions in order to feel good, but i nevel gave it any attention until my ocd thoughts turned into a taboo theme of incest. I knew that i wasn't that type of person yet i still couldn't shake those thoughts. I searched on the internet (i was really young too, around 10) and i found other people with the exact same problem, and eventually i found out that this behavior was ocd.

I was diagnosed at 17 with anxiety with obsessive tendencies but I didn't know that until about a month ago. I recently looked it up and realized it's also called OCD and that explains the intrusive thoughts I've had since I was 5

Found out I had the condition 3 months ago. 28 years I struggled alone.

I did when my mum said to me that my behaviours like ocd she was a bit missinformed but ironically I thfeel no she was correct I haven’t been diagnosed so I’m not sure but my nan deff has ocd she hasn’t been diagnosed but I wouldn’t skip over that I then looked it up and I was like oh yeah some of this matches me