OCD Awareness Week: Understanding What It Is – and What It Isn’t

Every October, OCD Awareness Week gives us an important opportunity to shine a light on one of the most misunderstood mental health conditions: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Despite being a common term in everyday conversation, OCD is often misrepresented. Phrases like “I’m a bit OCD about cleaning” or “I like things neat – I must have OCD” can unintentionally trivialise what is, for many people, a deeply distressing and life-disrupting condition.

So, what exactly is OCD – and what isn’t it?

What OCD Is

OCD is a recognised anxiety disorder characterised by two key elements: obsessions and compulsions.

• Obsessions are intrusive, unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that cause intense anxiety or distress. These thoughts are not chosen – they arrive uninvited and often clash with the person’s values or beliefs.

• Compulsions are repetitive actions or mental rituals that someone feels driven to perform in response to the obsessions. The purpose of these rituals is usually to reduce anxiety or prevent a feared event from happening.

For example, a person may have a recurring thought that they might harm someone unintentionally (an obsession) and then repeatedly seek reassurance or mentally “check” their intentions (a compulsion). OCD can manifest in many forms – contamination fears, symmetry obsessions, moral or religious concerns, relationship doubts, or fears of causing harm. It’s not about being tidy, clean, or organised; it’s about managing unbearable anxiety through repetitive cycles that can feel impossible to break.

What OCD Isn’t

OCD isn’t simply liking things a certain way or being detail-oriented. Many people enjoy order and cleanliness without any distress. OCD, on the other hand, causes significant emotional suffering and interferes with daily functioning. It’s not a personality quirk or a preference – it’s a serious mental health condition recognised by the NHS and the World Health Organization.

How Therapy Can Help

Thankfully, OCD is treatable. Evidence-based therapies, particularly those grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Person-Centred Therapy (PCT), and Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), can make a profound difference.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT is considered the gold-standard treatment for OCD. A key component, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), helps individuals gradually face feared thoughts or situations without engaging in compulsions. Over time, this reduces the anxiety linked to those obsessions and breaks the cycle of fear and ritual. CBT also helps people identify distorted thinking patterns – such as “If I think it, it might happen” – and replace them with more balanced and realistic perspectives.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

While DBT is often associated with emotion regulation and distress tolerance, it can be a valuable complement for those with OCD who struggle with intense emotional responses. DBT teaches mindfulness – the ability to notice thoughts without acting on them – which can help reduce the power of intrusive thoughts. Skills such as distress tolerance and radical acceptance also support people in sitting with discomfort rather than immediately resorting to compulsive behaviours.

Person-Centred Therapy (PCT)

PCT focuses on empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuineness from the therapist. For someone living with OCD, where shame and guilt are often overwhelming, a person-centred approach helps rebuild self-worth and self-compassion. It allows clients to feel heard and accepted, reducing the stigma and isolation that often accompany the condition.

Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT)

Solution-Focused Therapy emphasises strengths, resources, and progress rather than dwelling on problems. For OCD, this approach can help individuals identify times when the compulsions felt more manageable or when they were able to resist them, then build on those successes. It promotes hope and empowerment – crucial ingredients in the recovery process.

A Message for OCD Awareness Week

If you or someone you know is struggling with intrusive thoughts or compulsive behaviours, remember: you are not alone, and help is available. OCD is not your fault. Recovery may take time, but with the right support and understanding, things can and do improve.

OCD Awareness Week is a time to replace stigma with understanding, fear with compassion, and hopelessness with possibility. Let’s work together to ensure that OCD is recognised not as a punchline, but as a genuine mental health condition deserving empathy, treatment, and hope.

If you have OCD or someone around you does, get in contact to see how we can help.