- Username
- NOCD
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 6w ago
OCD and reassurance seeking
Reassurance-seeking is a very common compulsion for someone with OCD, where the goal is to try and find certainty or relief from intrusive thoughts, images, urges, feelings, etc. Some examples of reassurance seeking can be: “Do you still love me?” “You’re not mad, right?” “Are you sure this food is safe to eat?” While it's normal to want reassurance every now and then, especially about things we're insecure about, for those of us with OCD, this reassurance-seeking can turn repetitive and compulsive. People with OCD might ask for frequent reassurance from their loved ones or online, often asking the same questions over and over and wanting to hear the same reassuring answer every time. It's also common for people with OCD to engage in self-reassurance through various mental compulsions, or to include compulsive “confessions” as a part of their reassurance-seeking. What does reassurance-seeking look like for you?