Newly diagnosed and Curious.

When taking notes, I'd always rip out the page and start over if I made a mistake (if the ink smudged, if a letter didn't look perfect, if I misspelled something, etc...). Sometimes, it'd take me hours to do one set of notes. If it wasn't perfect, I'd feel anxious and upset with myself. My family described me as a perfectionist, so I didn't think anything of it until recently. There's so many behaviors I look back on, and I'm just like, "Yup, that's OCD!"

Hey, welcome! It’s great that you’re gaining awareness of how OCD has been affecting you. That realization can be eye-opening but also overwhelming at first. For me, I used to think my excessive need to double- or triple-check everything I said or did was just being “careful”—whether it was re-reading texts multiple times before sending, making sure doors were locked even when I knew they were, or replaying conversations in my head to make sure I didn’t say something “wrong.” I only realized later that it wasn’t just being cautious—it was OCD-driven anxiety. It’s wild how OCD disguises itself as “just being careful” or “being a perfectionist.” But the fact that you’re recognizing it now is a huge step. Wishing you the best on your journey—you’re definitely not alone in this!

Probably constant intrusive images of someone touching my body and feeling it physically on my skin