Checking OCD

Checking feels like it should settle the worry. But the NHS explains that compulsions only ease anxiety for a short time. The obsession and the anxiety soon come back, and the cycle starts again.

Checking your memory can make it worse. OCD-UK explains that when you go back over your memories to be sure, the harder you try to recall, the more the doubt grows. That makes the urge to check even stronger.

Checking also gets in the way of learning. NHS inform says rituals stop you finding out that the feared thought is not real. They also stop you learning that you can cope with anxiety, and that it might not be as bad as you imagine.

Read more about how obsessions and compulsions work in our guide to OCD.

Checking is not always something you do with your hands. You might ask someone, ‘Did I lock the door?’ or ‘Are you sure the gas is off?’ The NHS lists asking for reassurance as a common compulsion.

OCD-UK says that with reassurance, once is never enough. The relief is short-lived, and each answer tends to make the need to ask again stronger.

Reassurance from the people you love can feel helpful at the time. But NHS inform says that in the long term, it makes it harder to overcome compulsions.

OCD Action says a good OCD therapist should not reassure you or argue against your worries, because this can feed the OCD. Instead, treatment helps you face the doubt without asking for reassurance.

OCD-UK lists checking as one of five main types of OCD. It says the types often overlap. So checking can be part of other kinds of OCD too. For example:

• the NHS says that after a baby is born, OCD can involve checking again and again that the baby is breathing
• OCD-UK says health-focused OCD can involve checking your body again and again for signs of illness

If you are pregnant or have recently had a baby, read our guide to OCD in pregnancy and after birth.

Checking can take up a lot of time. Mind says compulsions, and avoiding the things that trigger them, can stop people going to work, seeing family and friends, eating out or going outside.

NHS inform suggests contacting your GP practice if:

• obsessions and compulsions are affecting your daily life
• you are not looking after yourself
• you are finding it hard to manage your responsibilities

The NHS says OCD is unlikely to get better on its own. But treatment and support can help you manage your symptoms and have a better quality of life.

If you live in England, you can refer yourself to an NHS talking therapies service. You need to be 18 or over (16 or 17 in some areas). Or you can see a GP, who can refer you.

You can also choose private treatment. If you do, check your therapist is registered. ‘Clinical psychologist’ is a protected title, so anyone using it must be registered with the HCPC. You can check this on the HCPC Register.

At our clinic you can book directly, with no referral or diagnosis needed. Your first step is a 30-minute Initial Consultation, where you talk through your checking and agree a treatment plan. See our fees and how to book.