OCD Awareness Week: Understanding OCD Beyond the Stereotypes
Every October, OCD Awareness Week creates an opportunity to talk about obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), challenge common misconceptions, and help people feel less alone in their experiences. This year (2026), OCD Awareness Week takes place October 11–17. The International OCD Foundation leads this annual effort to increase understanding and reduce stigma.
When many people hear “OCD,” they picture someone who loves organizing, keeps everything spotless, or checks a lock a few extra times. But OCD is much more complex than these familiar stereotypes, and many people struggle with experiences that others cannot see.
What Is OCD?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental health condition involving obsessions, compulsions, or both. Obsessions are unwanted, recurring thoughts, images, or urges that cause distress. Compulsions are repeated behaviors or mental acts someone feels driven to perform to reduce distress or feel certain.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 2.3% of U.S. adults experience OCD at some point in their lives. OCD can begin in childhood, adolescence, or adulthood, and symptoms can interfere with relationships, work, school, and everyday life.
OCD Doesn't Look the Same for Everyone
OCD can involve many different themes and experiences, including:
Contamination: Fear of germs, illness, or spreading something harmful, sometimes accompanied by washing or cleaning rituals.
Checking: Repeatedly checking locks, appliances, messages, or memories to feel sure nothing has gone wrong.
Symmetry and “just right” feelings: Feeling distressed when things seem uneven, incomplete, or not quite right.
Intrusive thoughts about harm: Unwanted thoughts or images involving harm, even when they go against a person's values and intentions.
Relationship or identity-related doubts: Repeatedly questioning feelings, relationships, or aspects of identity while searching for certainty.
Mental compulsions, sometimes called “Pure O”: Mentally reviewing conversations, analyzing thoughts, checking feelings, or mentally seeking reassurance.
“Pure O” is a commonly used term for an OCD presentation where compulsions are primarily mental. These compulsions can be difficult to recognize because they don't always involve visible rituals.
These examples are not an exhaustive list, and they aren’t a diagnostic checklist. OCD symptoms can vary widely, and it’s important to seek help from a licensed professional if you are struggling.
How Media Stereotypes Can Make OCD Harder to Understand
Movies, television, and social media often portray OCD as a preference for cleanliness, organization, or perfection. Everyday phrases like “I'm so OCD” can unintentionally reinforce the idea that OCD is simply a personality quirk.
The reality is, OCD can be really debilitating for those who live with it. Someone may spend hours replaying a conversation, questioning whether they did something wrong, or trying to prove to themselves that an unwanted thought doesn't actually reflect who they are.
Sometimes these experiences are largely invisible and people may feel embarrassed to talk about them. They might worry that others will misunderstand their thoughts or assume they are dangerous, irrational, or overly sensitive. This is why awareness really matters. There is still stigma that exists around OCD and its subtypes. If you’re reading this and you struggle with that, please know you are not your thoughts, and you’re not alone.
Having an unwanted thought does not automatically mean you believe it, want it, or intend to act on it. People experiencing OCD deserve to be understood with compassion rather than judged by the content of their thoughts.
Building Awareness Begins With Understanding
OCD is not a choice, a quirky personality trait, or something someone can simply switch off. Effective treatment options are available, including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), a form of cognitive behavioral therapy used to help people change how they respond to obsessions and compulsions.
If you recognize yourself in these experiences, you don't have to figure everything out alone. Reaching out to a qualified mental health professional can be a meaningful first step toward understanding what is happening and exploring appropriate support.
About Victoria Shore, LMFT
I'm Victoria Shore, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist licensed in California and Tennessee. I offer virtual therapy to young adults navigating OCD, anxiety, and complex and relational trauma.
My approach draws from ERP, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness, self-compassion, and somatic and experiential practices, including SomEx. I aim to offer a collaborative, compassionate space where you can talk openly about experiences that may feel difficult to explain.
If you're curious about working together, I offer a free 15-minute consultation.
Contact me at victoria@victoriashorewellness.com or (615) 854-7695.
