Living with OCD
We're creating resources to help people learn about OCD in the many ways it impacts their own lives—not just what it looks like on paper. You can search our resources to determine when your intrusive thoughts may be related to OCD.
This story discusses thoughts about self-harm. If you are in crisis, please call, text or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the
By David Berreby
Reviewed by April Kilduff, MA, LCPC
Every part of someone’s experience with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is unique, down to the emotions they experience as a result of their OCD. For
By Stacy Quick, LPC
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Speaking it out loud takes away its power?” I’ve always really liked this statement, and I believe it to be true.
By Stacy Quick, LPC
On a daily basis, your mind is hijacked by intrusive thoughts that seem to go against everything you believe to be true about yourself or the world. You
By Stacy Quick, LPC
Reviewed by Patrick McGrath, PhD
Do you feel constantly aware of where you’re looking? Are you worried you look at people too often or at inappropriate times? Does staring make you feel
By Patrick McGrath, PhD
Why OCD and anxiety are separate diagnoses, how they overlap and how to find treatment for both
By Dr. Keara Valentine
Reviewed by Patrick McGrath, PhD
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a complex disorder that can become completely debilitating—even life-threatening—when it’s left untreated. The good
By Stephen Smith
Reviewed by Patrick McGrath, PhD
You may have heard that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can be very sneaky. As someone who lives with the disorder, I can confirm this to be true. You
By Stacy Quick, LPC
Ten years ago, Megan Ocando thought she knew OCD. She was in graduate school, earning her master's degree in mental health and training to be a therapist.
By David Berreby
Reviewed by April Kilduff, MA, LCPC
Tracie Zinman-Ibrahim, LMFT, CST, wasn’t the first in her family to become a therapist—and she wasn’t the first to struggle with obsessive-compulsive
By Jessica Migala
Reviewed by April Kilduff, MA, LCPC
NOCD was built by people who deeply understand the struggles and needs of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Some of us had lived experience
By Peter Davis
Having obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can feel isolating. It might seem like you’re the only one going through what you’re going through. Social
By Elle Warren
Reviewed by April Kilduff, MA, LCPC
When Howie Mandel revealed he has OCD, he thought it was the end of the world. It happened many years ago in a New York radio studio. The
By Peter Davis
Reviewed by Patrick McGrath, PhD
As someone who grew up with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), I often reflect back on what my childhood was like and all of the ways in which OCD
By Stacy Quick, LPC
Have you ever been with a group of people and heard someone exclaim, “I’m so OCD about that”? Or heard people sharing their organizational preferences
By Stacy Quick, LPC
Accurate representations of your experience can be life-changing. That’s especially true for those experiences that are commonly misunderstood or
By Elle Warren
OCD can make you feel like something terrible is always around the corner. So, that frustration you feel? Perfectly normal.
By Dr. Keara Valentine
Reviewed by Patrick McGrath, PhD
Have you ever wondered if your child’s behaviors were typical fears and stresses for their age? Or noticed that they seemed more anxious than other
By Stacy Quick, LPC
This is a guest post by Jackie Shapin, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in anxiety, OCD, and eating disorders. There is a
By Jackie Shapin, LMFT
Reviewed by Nicholas Farrell, Ph.D
It can be stressful to watch your partner suffer from a mental health condition, especially when that condition is as frequently misunderstood as
By Stacy Quick, LPC