From sitcoms to reality TV to social media, the world has a lot to say about what obsessive-compulsive disorder is, how it works, and how it’s treated. Unfortunately, not all of it is accurate. And when it comes to OCD, recognizing it is half the battle. OCD is a disorder that occurs when distressing intrusive thoughts become sticky and difficult to dismiss, causing intense anxiety and a drive to reduce that anxiety with compulsions. This can present in a wide variety of ways, and two people’s OCD may look very different from one another.

With so many different ways OCD can appear and so much contradictory information on OCD floating around, trying to sort out the myths from the facts can quickly become confusing and frustrating . So, what’s actually going on with OCD, and where do people get it wrong? Let's break down some of the most common OCD myths, starting with what OCD even is!

OCD Myths:

OCD is a love of organization

Although commonly used as a synonym for a love of cleanliness and organization, OCD is not a love for tidiness. In fact, a love of anything is quite the opposite of what OCD is. Obsessions are distressing precisely because they oppose one's values, desires, or sense of self. When neatness is something that is desired and identified with, it’s not likely to be disturbing in the way that obsessions are. Rest assured, many people with OCD have some clutter in their homes.

OCD is a personality quirk

Pop culture loves to take the diligence that comes with many compulsions and apply it pretty broadly to anybody who's a bit particular about how they like things. This is pretty far from the truth. OCD isn’t a personality trait and can actually make it more challenging for people’s wonderful personalities to shine through. Obsessions are pervasive and distressing, not just how you prefer things.

Everyone is a little OCD

This myth goes hand in hand with the idea that OCD is all about being organized or particular. It’s true that most everyone is a bit particular about how they like certain things sometimes. It’s not true, though, that this is OCD. Roughly 2.5% of all people experience OCD at some point in their lifetime. That’s a lot of people: almost 9 million in the United States alone! It’s not quite everyone, though.

OCD is an Evolutionary Adaptation

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash‍

The idea that OCD exists because it is an adaptation makes a lot of intuitive sense. After all, if our ancestors were especially concerned with not eating rotten food, not harming their community members, or not being exposed to disease, wouldn’t that help their chance of survival? People have an internal threat detection system for these very reasons: to tell us when something is dangerous, unsafe to eat, embarrassing, or any number of unfortunate things. This does help us survive and has done so for some time. In OCD, this threat detection system is overactive and stops being helpful. Picture a fire alarm. It’s a useful safety tool when it goes off in the presence of a fire. When it starts going off all the time even when there’s no fire, though, it stops being so helpful.

OCD is something that only privileged people get

Another common misconception is that OCD only affects people who are very privileged, and that only people without broader systemic barriers impacting them can afford to have such “frivolous” worries. This is quite far from the truth. The prevalence of OCD is pretty similar across different demographics. However, marginalized groups may face more barriers when it comes to accessing care, and discrimination can exacerbate OCD symptoms. OCD education may also be less available, leaving many without knowledge that OCD worries aren’t so frivolous after all.

Compulsions are always observable actions

Although observable compulsions like hand washing, tapping, or checking have certainly had their moment in the limelight, compulsions do not have to be physical actions. Many compulsions are entirely mental. Some mental compulsions include rumination, mental review of past events, thinking of a “good” thought to neutralize a “bad” thought, monitoring body sensations and feelings, and many more. If it’s something you do intentionally that’s meant to reduce anxiety from intrusive thoughts, it can be a compulsion regardless of whether it’s an action or a thought. Because these compulsions can’t be seen by others or filmed for TV, mental compulsions are a bit less recognized, but they are every bit as real as compulsive actions.

“Pure O” is OCD with only obsessions and no compulsions

“Purely obsessional” or “Pure O” OCD is a bit of a misnomer. Coined by Dr. Steven Philipson in the 80s, he actually never meant it to describe OCD with no compulsions at all, but to better recognize those with no observable compulsions and predominantly mental compulsions. “Pure O” brought lots of needed recognition for this type of OCD and helped many get the help they need, but the term has also caused some confusion over the years. Many people with pure O don’t realize that their mental compulsions are compulsions and instead mistake them for obsessions. Recognizing and distinguishing compulsions from obsessions can be an important step in OCD treatment, including Pure O.

Due to so much misinformation circulating on what OCD is and a lack of information on the many ways it can present, it can take quite a long time for many people to realize that OCD might be what they’re experiencing. Just figuring out that it’s OCD running the show can be one of the hardest parts of OCD recovery. If you’re exploring OCD and are seeing a lot of your own struggles in it, you’re already halfway there. A knowledgeable OCD specialist can help you the rest of the way.

If you’re recognizing signs of OCD in yourself or someone you care about, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Support from a trained professional can make a meaningful difference in understanding symptoms and building healthier coping strategies. The team at Valid Love Therapy Collective offers compassionate, informed care tailored to your needs. You can reach out and take the next step toward support by visiting our contact page:https://www.validlove.com/contact.

Understanding OCD: Breaking Down the Myths Part 1: What It Is