OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental disorder that plagues many people around the world. In America alone, you have over 2.2 million people with this crippling disorder. What’s worse is that the number of those affected is slowly climbing. One of the worst problems about this mental disorder is that it is very difficult to notice. So what exactly are the early signs of OCD?
The Early Signs of OCD You Should Know
OCD can be very difficult to spot if you’re not paying attention. You might think that it’s just part of a person’s regular mannerisms or even a part of a child’s development. However, misreading these signs could lead to the mental disorder getting progressively worse. We’ve put together the various signs that you should watch out for so you can easily identify if a person you know is dealing with OCD under your nose.
Obsessive Behaviours
This is one of the most clear early signs of OCD that you’re going to spot. This means that a person will obsessively do things repeatedly and have trouble breaking out of the habit. Some examples include obsessive cleaning, and obsessive rechecking.
This can easily affect a person’s life as the constant behaviors can cause them to be stigmatized by others.
Constant Worrying
Constantly being worried is another early sign of OCD. This also leads into their obsessions as their behaviors can be caused by these constant worries. For example:
Are they worried about germs, bacteria and being generally unclean? Then you can expect them to be obsessed about keeping everything as clean as possible. Are they worried about failure? Then you can expect them to religiously recheck tests, assignments, and paperwork.
Strained Relationships
Like most mental disorders, OCD will strain the relationships of those affected. It can come across as something bothersome and a person with OCD will be more difficult to deal with thanks to their behavior and worries. People with OCD might even drive others away on purpose because their ideals don’t match up with another person’s.
Large Collections of Objects
This is another sign that can be blatantly obvious for those that are observant enough. A person with OCD can have a huge collection of objects in their homes that they refuse to get rid of. Their collection will be made up of a theme of objects. This can range from regular collection items like baseball cards, figurines, posters, video games, sports vehicles and the like to more outlandish collections like teeth, toenails, chips that look like people and others. These collections will steadily grow and a person with OCD will not be able to bring themselves to get rid of it.
Perfectionism
This sign of OCD can show up in a number of parts in a person’s life. A person with this mental disorder will need everything to be in perfect order and arrangement. They will be constantly bothered by the misaligned photo frame or the one tile in their bathroom that’s the wrong color.
Whether you’re a person who knows a person with OCD or are experiencing it yourself, the best thing you can do to help yourself is to know if you have it in the first place. The second best thing is getting a professional to help you
