The Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Checklist
This is a checklist to help one understand Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. One may use it to self-diagnose or as a worksheet to present to a doctor or therapist and better communicate symptoms they are experiencing. All information is taken from the DSM-5, and I have received help from people diagnosed with OCD in order to create this checklist.
Section I
Must check ONE or both of the following:
I experience obsessions, defined as:
I have recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images which are experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and unwanted, and cause me marked anxiety and distress.
I to suppress or ignore such thoughts, impulses, or images or to neutralize them with some other thought or action.
I experience compulsions, defined as:
I partake in repetitive behaviors (eg, hand washing, ordering, checking) or mental acts (eg, praying, counting, repeating words silently) in response to an obsession or according to a specific set of rules I follow rigidly.
My behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing distress or preventing some dreaded event or situation; however, these behaviors or mental acts may have little to do with what I’m trying to prevent, or they are clearly excessive.
Section II
Must check BOTH of the following:
My obsession and or compulsions are time-consuming and cause significant stress in my everyday life.
My symptoms are not caused by a medication, substance use, or another medical condition.
Section III
Common Symptoms and Behaviors Associated with OCD (not required for diagnosis):
I feel an intense sense of responsibility to eliminate a threat, whether the threat is real or not.
I overestimate how threatening something really is.
I am constantly checking on things to make sure they’re working properly or are okay.
I am often disturbed by spontaneity and hate for things to be uncertain.
I set higher standards for myself than I do for other people.
I feel I must be in complete control of my thoughts and feelings at all times.
Being triggered into a breakdown is especially bad because I am unable to calm myself immediately, which makes my symptoms worse.
I worry about things being contaminated and unsafe.
I find myself cleaning a lot.
I sometimes wash my hands to the point of rubbing them raw.
I am obsessed with symmetry.
I have difficulty breaking routines.
I have trouble getting to work or other obligations on time.
I find myself compulsively counting things.
I get intrusive thoughts, which are sometimes aggressive or sexual in nature.
I am afraid I may harm myself or others, even though I don’t want to.
Sometimes, I get violent thoughts which I can’t get rid of.
When I find new things I like (for example, a new TV show), I become obsessed with it.
I experience a lot of anxiety.
If something feels “incomplete,” it can leave me feeling uneasy or disgusted.
Sometimes I have to change everything around me until it feels “right.”
I find myself avoiding certain people and places because they may trigger some of my symptoms.
I avoid public restrooms.
I avoid group settings and other social interaction because I’m afraid I may harm others.
I need to constantly be reassured by loved ones.
I obsess over little things sometimes, like how a word sounds in my head or the way a sentence looks on paper.
Other people have understandable fears of getting robbed or something, but I can become obsessed with it and it may keep me from leaving my home or taking extreme precautions to avoid the situation happening.
Sometimes I imagine something terrible happening to a loved one, and I try to get them do something to avoid the scenario I’ve made up, even if it makes no sense to them.
I imagine all kinds of terrible scenarios happening to me or loved ones, and I can’t get them to go away.
I would describe myself as hypersensitive to sounds, textures, etc.
I have difficulty sleeping.
With loved ones, sometimes I can’t help but focus on their negative aspects, and I have to question whether or not I really like them.
I’m constantly second-guessing myself.
I hate to be touched by others.
I sometimes mirror other people.
I repeat certain phrases to myself.
If you do not feel you have OCD, other diagnoses to look into include anxiety disorders, Major Depressive Disorder, other obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, eating disorders, psychotic disorders, and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder. These may be something one can have instead of OCD, or they can be diagnosed alongside OCD.
Here is a post comparing/contrasting OCD and OCPD.
