- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 29w
Is it "overthinking" or OCD?
The experience that we often call 'overthinking' can be a part of disorders like OCD, but some amount of 'overthinking' or dwelling on certain things or second-guessing our decisions is a relatively normal experience nearly all of us experience sometimes. Overthinking can be anxiety-inducing, but it doesn't (in itself) tend to be particularly all-consuming, and it tends to be situational and limited to specific scenarios. Obsessive-compulsive disorder, on the other hand, is characterized by excessive doubt and distress, often caused by a scary or uncomfortable intrusive thought, which leads to repetitive or ritualistic behaviors or thought patterns. OCD worries tend to persist, and they tend to feel overwhelming and uncomfortable to a degree where you are engaging in compulsions and rituals to reduce this distress, and might feel like the rumination on your worries is completely taking over your life. OCD is treated by a specialist therapy approach called exposure and response prevention therapy, which helps you break the OCD cycle.