{"id":352325,"date":"2026-07-06T07:49:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T07:49:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/ocd-is-not-a-personality-quirk\/"},"modified":"2026-07-06T07:49:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T07:49:12","slug":"ocd-is-not-a-personality-quirk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=352325","title":{"rendered":"OCD Is Not a Personality Quirk"},"content":{"rendered":"


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OCD UK<\/a> states that Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is \u201cthe sixth largest contributor to non-fatal health loss globally.\u201d Why is it non-fatal? Well, there are no formal, scientific publications to produce evidence of OCD-based deaths to say otherwise.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, just because it isn\u2019t on paper doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s not real. I know of someone who committed suicide after being unable to work though\/live with this mental condition. The intrusive, debilitating thoughts<\/a> that looped through her mind, over and over, stealing her ability to function, were simply too much. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or feel unsafe, reach out for immediate help. In the U.S., call or text 988 to connect with the<\/em>\u00a0Suicide & Crisis Lifeline<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

What OCD Really Feels Like<\/h2>\n

This is my story. I was diagnosed with OCD in 2019 and have since been an advocate for others with the same mental condition. I\u2019m well aware of the depressive thoughts and debilitating weight OCD places on the heart and mind.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Truth be told, I was unable to keep a full-time job in my early twenties because of OCD. I\u2019ve been in a car wreck because of a compulsive thought that I \u201cneeded\u201d to give in to. I\u2019ve been in therapy for years. If that isn\u2019t enough, I\u2019ve been labeled \u201cdepressed,\u201d \u201canxious,\u201d and suffering from a mental disorder that \u201chas no cure.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, dishearteningly enough, in today\u2019s society, even as mental health awareness<\/a> is on the rise, people still casually throw around the (false) idea that they are \u201cso OCD.\u201d Whether they are trying to explain their need for order or desire to keep things clean, it\u2019s a misconstrued, damaging idea.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As a result, those who truly struggle with the disorder can easily assume they don\u2019t have OCD since their struggles are so much deeper than the casual symptoms of desiring to color-coordinate one\u2019s clothes. They don\u2019t get the proper treatment and are only debilitated even further. OCD is not a preference for order or cleanliness; it is a serious mental health disorder marked by intrusive thoughts, compulsive responses, distress, and daily-life impairment.<\/em><\/p>\n

Why OCD Stereotypes Are Finally Being Challenged<\/h2>\n

Noah Kahan<\/a>, an American singer-songwriter, has recently spoken about his fight against OCD, which has many people discussing the true nature of the disorder. Kahan told Rolling Stones<\/em>, \u201cI was under the influence of the idea that OCD was like, \u2018I need to wash my hands a hundred times.\u2019 But I didn\u2019t realize how much more there was to it. I started putting all these pieces together from my childhood, and these different rituals I\u2019ve had my whole life. It wasn\u2019t just anxiety or being stressed. It was this real insidious disorder that I was struggling with.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

He even opened up about his intrusive thoughts: \u201cI was convinced something was happening that was not happening, or that I had said something that I just didn\u2019t say\u2026 I could convince myself that I ran somebody over, knowing for a fact that I didn\u2019t see another person on the road.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Thus, it only makes sense that we discuss how vital it is to dismantle OCD\u2019s most common stereotypes so its true victims can find help and, most desirable, freedom:<\/p>\n

Photo Credit: Unsplash\/Alexandra Gorn<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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1. Myth 1: There Is Only One Type of OCD<\/h2>\n
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OCD is as complex as the intrusive thoughts it causes. This means there is more than one type of OCD, and each type has many subtypes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What Is Symmetry OCD?<\/h3>\n

While many people, those who often loosely use the \u201cso OCD\u201d self-descriptor, think the only type of OCD is the one based on the need for organization and order, that\u2019s only one type: Symmetry OCD. And it\u2019s far more than a need for organization and order. It requires compulsive responses that can make it hard for one to function, let alone enjoy living. The other primary types include Harm OCD, Religious Thoughts\/Taboo Rituals OCD, and Contamination OCD.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What Is Contamination OCD?<\/h3>\n

Some have heard of Contamination OCD, a debilitating fear of germs, laden with contact-tracing, obsessive hand washing, and a general fear of being around others. But few have heard of or understand Harm OCD and Religious Thoughts\/Taboo Rituals OCD.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What Is Harm OCD?<\/h3>\n

Harm OCD is a fear of hurting someone else, no matter the method. It might look like fearing that you\u2019ve caused a car wreck and need to turn around to ensure no one was injured (hence my wreck), or sexually harming someone (which makes those with the disorder afraid of things like changing their own child\u2019s diaper).\u00a0<\/p>\n

What Is Religious Thoughts\/Taboo Rituals OCD?<\/h3>\n

Religious Thoughts\/Taboo Rituals OCD includes intrusive thoughts often associated with the fear that you have blasphemed God. It\u2019s panicking when someone discusses eschatological concepts or evil. People with this type of OCD are often unable to watch horror films or even discuss the idea of Halloween. The images these conversations provoke, paired with terrifying thoughts, leave them afraid of constant damnation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Photo Credit: \u00a9Pexels\/Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2. Myth 2: OCD Is Something People Can Control<\/h2>\n
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You don\u2019t have possession of OCD. OCD has possession of you. That\u2019s what makes it miserable. That\u2019s why people seek therapy. That\u2019s why some people, sadly, commit suicide.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When my mind pictures OCD in a physical body, it\u2019s always a looming monster. It\u2019s always hanging over me, always in control. I certainly lay no claim to the monster. I never have and never will long to have possession of any such creature. I simply want to be free from it in the name of Jesus.<\/p>\n

Consider this: OCD wouldn\u2019t be a disorder, certainly not a casual, boastful adjective that so many people misuse, if those with the disorder truly had control over it. We would choose to defeat it, bury it, and leave it behind for all eternity. Thus, OCD wouldn\u2019t exist. It\u2019s so awful that none of us would ever choose to keep it, no matter how many ways we\u2019d like to think we could twist and change it into some useful part of us.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Photo Credit: \u00a9Unsplash\/Ian Espinosa<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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3. Myth 3: OCD Is Helpful or Productive<\/h2>\n
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I\u2019ve heard many people contextualize OCD in such a way that it\u2019s like a helpmate. It\u2019s that nagging but well-meaning part of your brain that nudges you to finish cleaning the kitchen or reorganizing your work desk. It\u2019s a cheerleader with a megaphone that only wants what\u2019s best for you. After all, if you follow its prodding, good things come about. The kitchen is clean. You now know where all your important paperwork is in your desk. Life is smoother and easier; you even feel a sense of relief.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Except OCD never makes its victims feel relief. Instead, they feel instant dread, anger, frustration, depression, fear, moodiness, and\/or hopelessness. The thoughts that true OCD nudges your way aren\u2019t encouraging. They are fear-laced, convincing you that if you don\u2019t do x, y, or z (aka, following through with a compulsive response), the intrusive thought might become real or true.\u00a0 The thoughts are never fun. They are never good. And giving in to the compulsive response they beg for only leaves you stuck in a frenzied loop, where no matter how many times you follow through and obey its relentless \u201cnudges,\u201d you are miserable. Often, you\u2019re even unable to function in normal society. You are anything but aided.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Photo Credit: \u00a9iStock\/Getty Images Plus\/jacoblund<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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4. Myth 4: OCD Is Only about Cleanliness or Organization<\/h2>\n
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As we discussed earlier, no matter how many times I share with others that there are many branches\/types of OCD, these same people still want to chat about \u201ctheir\u201d OCD regarding tidiness or timeliness. Remember, OCD is not synonymous with preferences or even character traits. In fact, OCD is often the total opposite. Since it\u2019s most often rooted in a core fear, it takes what you fear most and convinces you that that\u2019s what you are or will become.<\/p>\n

Are you afraid you\u2019ll run another car off the road by accident, becoming a homicidal criminal? Well, the best move is to simply never drive again. So if you drive again, you will undoubtedly run someone off the road since you\u2019re ignoring the intrusive thought that you should never drive again. And if you\u2019re willing to take such a wild risk, are you truly any better than a homicidal criminal? Or worse, what if you actually want to be a homicidal criminal, and that\u2019s why you drive your car?\u00a0<\/p>\n

See? It\u2019s a loop. A constant, miserable loop that\u2019s only organization skills are those that keep you walking a tightrope, enslaved to thoughts that you never wanted. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Photo Credit: SWN Design<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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5. Myth 5: OCD Is Just an Obsession<\/h2>\n
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I\u2019ve had so many people ask how they can know if they have OCD versus a sole obsession. For example, I\u2019m obsessed with color-coordinating my closet. I follow the scientific ROYGBIV order, and though I love when others help with my laundry and put away my clothes, it greatly irks me when I flip on my closet light and see that someone has stuck a green shirt in my blue clothes area. I\u2019m obsessed with this organization\u2014but it\u2019s not OCD because it doesn\u2019t trigger a compulsive response. In other words, you must have the \u201cC\u201d to have OCD.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I can walk away from my disorganized closet without it causing mental anguish. There are no mental loops where my thoughts spiral. I don\u2019t think, \u201cIf I don\u2019t color coordinate my clothes [insert wild or tragic thing] might happen.\u201d I don\u2019t feel sweaty or have my heart racing if I don\u2019t reorganize my closet. My desire for this organization is a deeply rooted preference, but it doesn\u2019t pause my day and cause debilitating anxiety<\/a> and relentless, pestering thoughts. It doesn\u2019t demand a compulsive response that silences the intrusive thought, but only for a second, until it comes back again.\u00a0<\/p>\n

OCD thoughts are destructive because they force a response. Over and over, the thoughts control a person\u2019s sense of worth, even their purpose. Their life is consumed by responding to the very thoughts they wish never entered their mind.\u00a0<\/p>\n