college essays about ocd

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Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Cecelia scheeler's college essay.

I can open doors with my feet.

I developed this ability at the tender age of four after I was diagnosed with severe obsessive compulsive disorder. Since my diagnosis, my life has been a series of fluctuating dosage levels, revolving door compulsions, and mad dashes for the bathroom sink.

OCD takes many different forms, but few of them are what you see on Monk . Sure, many of us obsessive-compulsives have had the urge to take a bath in germicide or organize our wardrobe by color at one point or another, but obsessions can be about anything at all. Despite what the media may lead you to believe, OCD is not simply about cleanliness and organization. Simple routines like brushing one’s hair can become a two hour process. But over the past few years, I have realized that my disorder doesn'’t need to be an obstacle in my path to success.

That’s not to say that it hasn’t been a rough ride. After my initial diagnosis, I was prescribed medication and had few symptoms throughout elementary school. Occasionally, I would relapse, and then I would start flicking light switches on and off and on and off and on and off and on and off at a seizure-inducing pace. But eventually, the lights would stay off, and I’d walk away.

Then came middle school.

I don’t think anyone enjoys middle school. Most people have horror stories to tell about the time they were hit up for their lunch money or given a swirly in the toilet or some other such misery. But I can say with a certain amount of confidence that my middle school experience was probably worse than most.

I entered sixth grade at the age of ten, just as puberty set in at full force, changing my body chemistry in a way that caused my medication to stop working entirely. This was unfortunate, as middle school kids tolerate weirdness about as well as Glenn Beck “tolerates” Obama. I was given a number of nasty nicknames and I quickly carved out a comfy little niche for myself at the low end of the popularity scale. At the high end was Heaven (no, really, that was her name), a girl with white-blond hair and an orange, spray-on tan. At the opposite end was me, the girl who would, on occasion, make weird noises at the back of her throat and shake her head like a wet dog.

High school has been a vast improvement. My peers at Carver Center for Arts and Technology are understanding and supportive. My dosage levels are stable. I no longer possess some of the more noticeable tics (such as the “wet dog shake”), though I have since gained a particularly consistent tic that involves typing certain words multiple multiple multiple multiple multiple multiple multiple times. That’s the thing about OCD. It’s always there. Whenever you get rid of one obsession, a shiny new one takes its place. It’s like Netflix, except it’s not as cool.

In the summer before my senior year, I resolved to step outside my narrow comfort zone, and so I attended a Japanese language immersion camp in rural Minnesota for two weeks. During that time, I shared a bathroom with sixty other girls, took five-minute showers, slept in a bug infested cabin, and managed not to have a total OCD meltdown. From this experience, I realized that my OCD can’t dictate what I am capable of doing. I proved to myself that I’m perfectly able to have new experiences that will push me beyond my boundaries – I now feel confident that I can succeed in the new and unfamiliar environment of college.

These days, I’ve been opening doors with the appropriate appendage.

97 OCD Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best ocd topic ideas & essay examples, 🥇 most interesting ocd topics to write about, 📌 simple & easy ocd essay titles, ❓ ocd research questions.

• Intake Report and Treatment Plan: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) According to Joan, her whole life from childhood has been accompanied by her overambitious to achieve in every task, her conscientious nature, never-making mistakes behavior, and her avoidance to indicate the presence of a mistake […]
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder – Psychology This paper mainly addresses some of the characteristics of OCD, what contribute it, the kind of people who are likely to attract the disease, types of treatment of the disorder, and how it affects a […]
• Obsessive – Compulsive Personality Disorder: Diagnosis and Treatment Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is the term used to refer to a mental condition in which a victim is too preoccupied with perfectionism, orderliness, and interpersonal and mental control, at the expense of efficiency, openness and […]
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder One of them is the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder the syndrome which causes people to have recurring, unwanted thoughts and drives them to uncontrollable, repetitive actions.
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Definition, Types and Causes Efforts to raise people’s awareness about OCD have been on the rise since the late 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century.
• Psychodynamic and Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder In this article, after overviewing both the psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral models of OCD, Kempke and Luyten point out that as opposed to the cognitive behavioral model, the arena of psychodynamic approach to OCD is […]
• Psychological Issues: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Nevertheless, the study showed that the majority of the correspondents who suffered from the disease were Judaism. Moreover, individuals suffering from the disorder refrain from visiting hospitals in fear of humiliation and guilt attributed to […]
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in an Asian American Patient The issue of substance use should also be addressed as one of the possible factors that may have exacerbated the patient’s sense of anxiety and prompted the aggravation of her OCD.
• Discussion: Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders To be diagnosed with a specific phobia, one must exhibit several symptoms, including excessive fear, panic, and anxiety. Specific phobias harm the physical, emotional, and social well-being of an individual.
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in Adults Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an anxiety disorder that is represented by uncontrollable, repetitive and unwanted thoughts.
• Neurotransmission and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder The proteins and the other substances that the neuron needs for its function are manufactured by the cell body or soma and the nucleus and the neuron is known as the “manufacturing and recyling plant”.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in a Young Woman After Bess’s mother’s serious intervention into the course of her life, Bess was absorbed in her studies and later in her work.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Minor Psychiatric Illnesses However, the severe obsessive-compulsive disorder may lead to major incapacitation adversely affecting the life of the victims. When an individual exhibits or complains about obsession or compulsion or both to the extent that his normal […]
• Howard Hughes’s Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder The purpose of this paper is to discuss the obsessive-compulsive disorder in the case of Howard Hughes, with the help of the Big Five personality model.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder and Care Hospitalization is a rare treatment method for patients who have an obsessive compulsory personality disorder. For instance, new drugs such as Prozac and SRRI are proved to offer a reprieve to patients suffering obsessive compulsory […]
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Diagnostics Developmental Disorder: No diagnosis No diagnosis can be made since the woman used to be an active member of her community. Medical Disorder: No diagnosis The client maintains that she does not have medical issues.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Its Causes While it is possible to clearly articulate the symptoms of OCD, the final and definite answer to the question about the causes of the disorder is yet to be found. Currently, it is hypothesised that […]
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Diagnosis and Therapy The ritual, i.e, the street corner, may be a response to an obsessional theme or a way to lower an underlying anxiety.
• Experience of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder The obsessive-compulsive disorder is a rather common psychiatric illness, which has a tendency to occupy a significant time in the mind of the patient and provides a feeling that he/she is not in control of […]
• Mindfulness Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder It is important to introduce the patient to the mindfulness intervention as early as possible by inviting him to take part in a 5-minute mindfulness-of-breath exercise in order to note particular reflections about the nature […]
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Psychology The other sign relates to the fear of lacking the need in life and consequently losing whatever has been acquired and is in possession.
• The Treatment of Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder Thus, Madam Y is to be convinced of the therapist’s good intentions. Unconditional positive regard is also one of the most important ways which is to be used to help Madam Y.
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment Persistent thoughts and repetitive behaviors are major characteristics of the obsessive-compulsive disorder. Early, diagnosis, combined therapy and ability of the patient to regulate anxiety are critical in treatment of the obsessive-compulsive disorder.
• Brief Overview of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) The strange acts torment the mind and the distractions affect the social wellbeing of the patient. The brain has the “orbital frontal cortex” that is responsible of reporting and soliciting the rest of the brain […]
• The Obsessive-Compulsive Psychological Disorder In addition, the disorder affects the way he relates with the likes of Simon Bishop and the gay painter both of whom are his neighbors.
• Freud’s Theory of Personality Development and OCD The ego, on the other hand, is in the middle and manages both the desires of the Id and those of the superego.
• Invasive Circuitry-Based Neurotherapeutics: Stereotactic Ablation and Deep Brain Stimulation for OCD
• Autism Spectrum Traits in Children and Adolescents With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Symptoms Predict Poorer Response to Gamma Ventral Capsulotomy for Intractable OCD
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Anxiety and OCD Spectrum Disorders
• Identical Symptomatology but Different Diagnosis: Treatment Implications of an OCD Versus Schizophrenia Diagnosis
• Childhood-Onset Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Tic-Related Subtype of OCD?
• Reduced Anterior Cingulate Glutamatergic Concentrations in Childhood OCD and Major Depression Versus Healthy Controls
• Neural Responses of OCD Patients Towards Disorder-Relevant, Generally Disgust-Inducing, and Fear-Inducing Pictures
• Dealing With Corona Virus Anxiety and OCD
• The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients With OCD
• Recent Life Events and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): The Role of Pregnancy & Delivery
• Basic Neurotransmission and the Psychotropic Treatment of OCD
• The Characteristics, Common Symptoms, and Treatments of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), a Neurological Anxiety Disorder
• Social Factors That May Contribute or Result From OCD
• Are “Obsessive” Beliefs Specific to OCD?: A Comparison Across Anxiety Disorders
• Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST) Errors and Cerebral Blood Flow in Obsessive‐Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) Between ADHD and OCD
• Treatment Non-response in OCD: Methodological Issues and Operational Definitions
• The Symptoms, Treatment, and Combination of Therapies for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• The Other Side of COVID-19: Impact on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Hoarding
• Should OCD Be Classified as an Anxiety Disorder in DSM‐V?
• Evaluation of Biological Explanations of OCD
• OCD in Children and Adolescents: A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Manual
• A New Infection-Triggered, Autoimmune Subtype of Pediatric OCD and Tourette’s Syndrome
• Parents With OCD and the Influences on Children
• Social Movements and Awareness and Educate the Public About OCD
• Hoarding in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Results From the OCD Collaborative Genetics Study
• Women Are at Greater Risk of OCD Than Men: A Meta-Analytic Review of Ocd Prevalence Worldwide
• Compulsive Hoarding: OCD Symptom, Distinct Clinical Syndrome, or Both?
• Does Comorbid Major Depressive Disorder Influence Outcome of Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD?
• Repeated Cortico-Striatal Stimulation Generates Persistent OCD-Like Behavior
• Quality of Life in OCD: Differential Impact of Obsessions, Compulsions, and Depression Comorbidity
• What Should the Diagnostic Criteria for OCD Be?
• Characterizing the Hoarding Phenotype in Individuals With OCD: Associations With Comorbidity, Severity, and Gender
• Compassion-Focused Group Therapy for Treatment-Resistant OCD: Initial Evaluation Using a Multiple Baseline Design
• High Rates of OCD Symptom Misidentification by Mental Health Professionals
• Widespread Structural Brain Changes in OCD: A Systematic Review of Voxel-Based Morphometry Studies
• Causes and Triggers for Obsessive Compulsive-Disorder (OCD)
• Distinct Subcortical Volume Alterations in Pediatric and Adult OCD: A Worldwide Meta- and Mega-Analysis
• Treating OCD With Exposure and Response Prevention
• What Is OCD Behaviour?
• What Are the Types of OCD?
• Is OCD a Form of Anxiety?
• What Causes OCD?
• What Are the Main Symptoms of OCD?
• Is OCD a Mental Disability?
• Can OCD Be Fully Cured?
• How Can You Tell if Someone Has OCD?
• What Happens if OCD Is Not Treated?
• Is OCD a Permanent Condition?
• How Long Does OCD Usually Last?
• What Are the Main Causes of OCD?
• How Many People With OCD Recover?
• What Does Undiagnosed OCD Look Like?
• Is OCD a Form of Addiction?
• Can OCD Be Triggered by Trauma?
• What Childhood Trauma Causes OCD?
• How OCD Takes the Living Out of Life?
• What Is Childhood and Adolescent OCD?
• How Is OCD Treated for Children With Compulsive Disorder?
• What Analysis of Genome-Wide Associations of Complications of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
• How Are OCD and Genes Related?
• Can OCD Cause Psychosis?
• Who Is Most Commonly Affected by OCD?
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This Is What It's Like To Live With OCD

Courtesy of the writer

I am not shy about having OCD. On the contrary, I am obnoxiously vocal about it. I talk about it, I write about it, and I laugh about it. Constantly. When I applied to college, OCD was the topic of my personal essay. I joked that OCD is a lot like Netflix in that, as soon as you send one symptom back to the distributor, you get a shiny new one in the mail. (Yeah, I wrote that essay in 2010 and it’s already ridiculously dated. Netflix once sent DVDs through the mail . Those were dark times.)

I don’t talk about my OCD with anything even approaching sincerity. I handle most of my problems through a thick veneer of sarcasm and mockery. It provides a comfortable distance from something that can otherwise be overwhelming. I feel much less like I’m whining when I’m joking. And humor makes it easier to share with others.

I was diagnosed with severe OCD (and ADHD) when I was four years old, so I don’t really remember what it’s like to live without it. That’s right; my psychiatric history is now old enough to vote. That sort of makes it easier—it’s hard to miss normal when you’ve never known it. And I was fortunate enough to have what many people don’t: access to superb mental health services, and a mother who recognized the symptoms when I started washing my hands until they bled and when I began edging around the pile of dirty clothes in the laundry room like I was afraid it would swallow me whole. Despite the severity of my obsessions and compulsions, I’ve been successful because of this support.

This sort of germophobia is what most people think of when they hear of OCD, but the symptoms of OCD vary greatly over time and from person to person. Some of my obsessions weren’t so easy to recognize as such—in kindergarten, I would spend story time straightening my socks, unable to get them in the exact position I wanted. I had to change my underwear multiple times a day because I was constantly convinced that it was wet. I remember going to Disney World a few months before I was diagnosed—my father walked around the amusement park with a bag full of little girls’ panties. (That would have been fun to explain to security: “No officer, I’m not a pervert; my daughter’s just crazy.”)

My parents have done so much to help me overcome my OCD. As I grew up, they encouraged me to be open with them about my struggles with mental illness . It was expected that I would share my problems and go to them for support. Outside the house, however, the message was clear: don’t talk about OCD. Don’t talk about mental illness. It’s weird; it makes people uncomfortable; it’s not socially acceptable. But I couldn’t have hidden my OCD if I tried, and, oh, I tried.

In middle school, as I hit puberty and my body chemistry changed, my medication stopped working. Entirely. My symptoms skyrocketed, but still I tried with everything I had to hide them. Some of my compulsions were easy to cover up. When I had to spin the dial of my combination lock four times before I could open my locker, I could pretend that I’d gotten my code wrong and had to try again. But it’s pretty noticeable when the girl sitting beside you in math class has to bang her chair against the ground eight times before she can sit down. (Particularly if she came in halfway through class because she was busy spinning her combination lock.) And there was no good excuse I could think of to cover that up. So I stopped trying.

I started talking about my OCD all the time, to explain my actions, to try to make people understand.

I started with my peers: tweens with no filter who had never seen a person beat her chest like Tarzan or hold up an entire line full of kids by stopping in the middle of the hallway to hop on one foot. They rudely demanded to know why I freaked out whenever I smudged ink across my paper or why I sometimes shook my head like a wet dog. I did my best to explain my disorder in simple terms that even a ten-year-old could understand. But at that age, my peers still lacked the emotional if not the general intelligence to understand my condition. (Tweens and sociopaths have that in common.) I decided: If they wanted me to shut up and sit down, I was gonna stand and shout from the mountaintops. Never let anyone tell you that spite is a poor motivator.

High school was better. I applied and was accepted to a writing program at Carver Center for Arts and Technology, where my peers were understanding and empathetic. My medication stabilized and I began cognitive behavioral therapy. I exchanged my more noticeable compulsions for subtler ones. I didn’t hide my symptoms, but I learned to control them for my own benefit. Part of controlling compulsions is acknowledging and accepting the consequences of not performing them: “If I don’t proofread my English paper a fifth time, the worst case scenario is that I miss a typo.” This sort of reasoning helps bring my obsessions into perspective—a few points off an essay for a typo is not the end of the world. I’ll survive.

The summer before I went to college, I went to see a specialist in tic disorders, who informed me that my specific type of OCD is called Tourettic OCD, which is basically Tourette’s Syndrome and OCD slammed into one diagnosis. The Tourette’s was not a new development. It had always been there, lurking in the shadow of my OCD. In medicine, comorbidity is the simultaneous existence of two or more disorders in a patient. For most people, it’s a word that means life just got a lot more complicated. But I was elated—this doctor had given me more words, new language, to describe my experiences. I learned to differentiate between compulsions and tics and went off to college with new strategies for handling my mental illnesses.

Despite this, my first semester was still like getting thrown into the deep end without floaties. OCD hates changes in routine. College meant roommates, living away from home, and sharing a bathroom with an entire hall of strangers. But there’s nothing quite like trial by fire, and after a few nervous breakdowns, I settled into a new routine and my symptoms abated. I went through the same ordeal just this past year after graduation—transition periods are always rough for me, but I get through them with a lot of lorazepam and a mantra of this, too, shall pass .

Cecelia, front-center, with her college fencing teammates.

I still have my daily challenges. The cough I developed during a recent bout of illness has stuck with me in the form of a tic. It takes me a long time to get ready in the morning when I have to check and recheck my backpack to make sure I have everything I need. The skin of my knuckles is rough and calloused from trying to crack them too often. I still spend way too much time worrying about climate change.

When someone asks me why I exhibit some strange behavior or another, or so much as casts a curious glance my way when they see me blinking sporadically, I talk them through my diagnosis. I tell them about my evolving understanding over the years as I gained more information and science progressed. Then I talk them through my ever-changing symptoms and my treatment. (I have been on, at various points in my life, Paxil, Zoloft, Luvox, Prozac, Buspar, Lexapro, Ativan, clonazepam, Concerta, Focalin, Adderall, Strattera, and Daytrana. My psychiatrist has also been trying to talk me into testing out antipsychotics for years). Most difficult to explain are the urges that cause my tics. There are really no words for it, but I imagine it’s similar to the feeling of thousands of ants crawling across your skin. What can you do but try to shake them off? I explain to curious parties how OCD can manifest differently in different people. And I make jokes about it. I refuse to be ashamed of my condition. In public, I don’t surreptitiously slip my medication past my lips between sips from my water bottle—I toss a Zoloft into the air, throw my head back, and see if I can catch it in my mouth. I don’t mean to brag, but my mouth-eye coordination is unparalleled.

I’ve come a long way from the terrified little girl who cowered around dirty laundry, as my psychiatrist frequently reminds me . “I’m so proud of you,” she told me just the other day. “Just a few years ago, you couldn’t touch the sink faucet in your own bathroom.”

“Yeah, and now look at me,” I said. “You know, I was at the mall earlier and I dropped part of my cookie on the floor, and I just picked it up and ate it.”

“That’s disgusting,” she said. “Don’t do that again.”

I am not my OCD, but my OCD has played an enormous role in shaping who I am. So I can’t talk about myself without talking about it, and I really like talking about myself. Talking about OCD got me into my first-choice school. Talking about it got me here, on SELF.com. And I hope talking about it can also do others a world of good.

When we talk about OCD, we raise awareness of mental illness. We disseminate information so that people can recognize their symptoms and get a diagnosis, get treatment, get help. We open doors for those who’ve always known that something is wrong with them, but who have never had the words to articulate it. We deepen understanding and reduce stigma among the general public. We increase the chances of getting funding for research that could lead to better treatments. And we make life a little easier for people like me.

For information on OCD and treatment options, visit the National Institute of Mental Health website .

This Video Shows How Some People With OCD Feel Everyday:

Photo Credit: Daniel Grizelj / Getty

SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

Overcoming OCD – The College Student’s Guide

This site is for you if you:

• Have been diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Worry that you might have OCD
• Think you might be going crazy because of confusing fears and worries that won’t go away.
• Have strange intrusive thoughts you don’t understand and feel compelled to perform certain actions in response to these thoughts

You’re not alone, and there is an effective treatment for OCD — so you can look forward to relief from OCD and getting your life back.

You’re not alone. Approximately 1 in 40 U.S. adults has OCD. With Cognitive Behavior Therapy, relief can be just a couple of months away.

You’re Not Crazy

It’s normal to be concerned about your symptoms and maybe even a little afraid of what is happening to you.  But you’re not “crazy” or any other label that makes you feel worse.  OCD is a fairly common disorder that is neurobiological in nature.  Researchers have found that certain areas of the brain work differently in individuals who have OCD compared to those who don’t.  There is absolutely no reason to be ashamed of having this disorder, but it’s important that you understand it and learn how to control it.  With effective treatment, you should be able to do whatever you want in life and be whatever you want to be.

What Exactly IS OCD?

OCD is a disorder that has a neurobiological basis.  It interferes with how the brain functions, and its effects can actually be seen on brain scans. With OCD, a person has two specific symptoms:

Obsessions — disturbing, recurring thoughts, fears, doubts or urges that won’t go away. It’s as if your brain got stuck in the “worry” position and can’t restart.

Compulsions — repetitive actions, or “rituals,” that you feel compelled to do to feel better.  These actions can be done overtly, like washing your hands, or covertly, like saying mental prayers.  Unfortunately, you feel better only temporarily.  The more you perform the compulsions, the stronger and more frequent the obsessions become.

Learn more about OCD and its symptoms

You’re Not Alone

When you consider that one in 40 adults and one in 100 children has OCD, it’s obvious that you are certainly not alone.  This is a fairly common disorder and it is treatable.  OCD sufferers come from every age group, race, ethnicity and socioeconomic background.

Why Haven’t I Heard of OCD Before Now?

OCD isn’t a new disorder, but it was not well understood — and little was published about its symptoms and treatment — until the past few decades. Even today, not all physiciians, psychologists, educators or campus administrators recognize OCD when they see it.

Learn more about the rise in awareness today.

What is the Treatment for OCD? How Fast Does It Work?

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), sometimes accompanied by medication, is the gold standard treatment for OCD.  It is recommended by nationally- recognized institutions such as the Mayo Clinic and Harvard Medical School.  Some studies show that more than 85% of people who complete a course of CBT experience significant relief from OCD symptoms.  Relief can be just a couple of months away.

In some ways, OCD is like other health conditions such as asthma, allergies or diabetes.  When properly treated, these chronic conditions are manageable, and are actually managed by millions of people around you. Like these other conditions, OCD requires a commitment to treatment. While there is currently no cure for OCD, CBT can help you get better and teach you how to keep your OCD under control.

Learn more about CBT.

What About Medication? Can’t I Just Take Some Pills?

Today’s easy answer for just about everything seems to be to take a pill.  But for OCD, medication alone isn’t the best treatment.

Find out why CBT is the clear treatment recommendation.

Why is OCD happening to me now?

Illness can happen at any time, and college life is a stressful time that can be vastly different from your pre-college life at home.  In fact, it’s not unusual to first have OCD symptoms at college. Read more about why college can “trigger” OCD.

Could My Symptoms Be Some Other Mental Disorder?

A number of conditions frequently co-exist, or “partner” with OCD.  Disorders that can occur with OCD – referred to as “comorbid” disorders – include depression, bipolar disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, tic disorders (including Tourette Syndrome), eating disorders and anxiety disorders.  And there are several other disorders related to OCD that may also be comorbid with OCD.  As a result, it can be confusing to try to sort out what your particular symptoms actually are.

Learn more about related conditions and disorders of the “OCD Spectrum”.

What’s Wrong With Doing My Compulsions? It Makes Me Feel Better.

Continuing to perform rituals in response to your obsessions can actually make your OCD worse.

Learn more about why you need to overcome OCD through treatment.

Where Can I Go For Help?

Start with your college or university’s student health center or counseling service.  Tell them you think you might have OCD and want to see a cognitive behavior therapist.  If your counseling center doesn’t have a cognitive behavior therapist on board, ask them to help you find one.  If the staff doesn’t have information about cognitive behavior therapists for OCD, you can contact Beyond OCD to discuss therapy options for OCD.  Your goal is to get relief from OCD as soon as possible.

Can a Support Group Help Me?

A support group can provide information, encouragement and emotional support for people who have OCD.  It can play a very important role in OCD recovery, but it’s not a substitute for treatment.

Learn more about support groups.

When Money Is A Problem

If your student health center or counseling service is able to provide Cognitive Behavior Therapy, it may be covered under your student health insurance.  If you need to go to a cognitive behavior therapist in private practice, it could be more costly.  When money is an issue, it can present challenges to getting OCD treatment, but don’t give up.

Learn more about finding financial help.

Frequently Asked Questions about OCD and Its Treatment

Of course you have questions about OCD. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions by college students:

• What causes OCD?
• Is OCD inherited? Can stress cause OCD?
• Why can’t a person just stop their OCD?
• Is there an online test I can take to see if I have OCD?
• What’s the best treatment for OCD?
• Can you guarantee I’ll get better with treatment?
• Do I have to be hospitalized to treat my OCD?
• What if I don’t get treatment for my OCD?
• My college “doesn’t treat OCD”. Now What Can I Do? Should I change schools to get OCD treatment?
• What are my options if my school offers CBT but limits the number of visits?
• Should I take a leave of absence to get treatment?
• Are there accommodations available through disabilities services?
• Should I tell my family I have OCD?
• What Is OCD?
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy

How OCD Can Affect Academic Success

By Dr. Keara Valentine

Apr 08, 2021 • 5 minute read

Whether it’s long hours of studying or succeeding in extracurriculars, the pressures of school can already be immensely stressful. And from elementary school to college and beyond, if you have obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, that can make your academic life even more complicated. 

Students with OCD may struggle to focus in class or complete assignments while frequently feeling the need to perform rituals like hand-washing, rewriting sentences or reorganizing notes. Intrusive thoughts can also be disruptive to the learning process, not to mention distressing. In some severe cases, students might need to miss days of school or drop out altogether. 

If a student has OCD that goes undiagnosed or untreated, their academic future can be seriously impacted. Let’s explore exactly how OCD can affect academic success — and how resources can support students in and out of the classroom. 

Do these experiences sound familiar? Learn how you can overcome them.

Here at NOCD, we know how overwhelming OCD symptoms can be—and how hard it is to open up about your experience. You’re not on your own, and you can talk to a specialist who has experience treating OCD.

How can OCD impact your education? 

OCD involves intrusive and obsessive thoughts, images or urges. These thoughts can lead to compulsions , or behaviors that someone may engage in to subdue intrusive thoughts or limit feelings of distress. While acting on these compulsions can produce short-term relief, it can make OCD symptoms worse in the long run. 

OCD affects millions of people in the US, and many children. OCD can affect students in the classroom regardless of their age. Students may begin school with a diagnosis, or begin to develop symptoms later on. 

A 2018 study examining the educational success of people with OCD in Sweden found that the diagnosis had a significant impact. Those with OCD were 40% to 60% less likely to meet educational milestones in their mid-teens . 

This gap continued at the university level, where those with OCD were 28% less likely to start a program at university. If they did, they were 41% less likely to finish a degree and 48% less likely to finish post-graduate education. 

From high-school to college-aged students, the study found that academic underachievement was consistent across the board. 

OCD triggers in the classroom

OCD symptoms can emerge at any time at school — during a test, a break, group work sessions or extracurricular activities. As a high-stress and often fast-paced environment, school can present a number of OCD triggers that might make it difficult to stay on track. These include: 

• Reading and writing assignments: Some rituals may include needing to read or write a sentence, paragraph or assignment perfectly without interruption. Students might spend hours on an assignment, turn homework in late or lose sleep repeatedly checking or redoing an assignment. 
• Answering questions in class: Answering questions out loud — either during a class discussion or when prompted by the teacher — can also be a source of stress. Students may seek reassurance about their answers or exhibit anxiety about getting an answer wrong. 
• Communal spaces: Spaces inhabited by lots of students, like bathrooms, locker rooms and the cafeteria, can create distress. This can also include shared supplies like pencils, scissors, glue, tablets or computers. Students may refuse to touch surfaces that have been touched by other classmates or even resist using the bathroom. 
• Disorganized spaces: Places that appear unclean or disorganized may also be a trigger. Cluttered desks or messy lockers can be distressing for students with OCD. 
• Windows and doors: Especially for students entering multiple classrooms or buildings a day, windows and doors can be triggering. Students may feel the compulsion to check and double-check that windows and doors are closed behind them.
•   Teachers, classmates and roommates:  Those with intrusive thoughts may avoid certain teachers, professors, classmates or others due to unwanted thoughts they have about them. This may also develop when living with other students in a college dormitory.

All of these triggers and many more can turn the classroom into a stressful and unfamiliar environment. Compulsions, rituals and intrusive thoughts can take up hours of your day, making it difficult to complete assignments, concentrate on work and participate in class. Most importantly, it can be a severe disruption to how you learn — and your enjoyment of the material.

Preparing for school with OCD

When a student shows signs of academic difficulties due to OCD, a proactive approach can help them cope and even thrive in the classroom. 

Some coping options include: 

• Sticking to the school schedule when possible, even if disrupted by OCD symptoms
• Having an open conversation with teachers and administrators about your OCD symptoms and how they manifest
• Coming up with a plan for how to handle stressful situations in the classroom 
• Asking for accommodations from the school, which may be required by law under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 

The best treatment option for OCD involves tackling these triggers head-on. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy is a form of treatment that helps people with OCD to face their triggers. Instead of engaging in compulsions to neutralize intrusive thoughts and avoid discomfort, with the help of a trained therapist, the individual is encouraged to sit with or allow those thoughts and emotions. Over time, repeated exposure to triggering stimuli will weaken the fear response to those triggers.

While it can’t cure symptoms overnight, ERP therapy has been found to be 9 0% effective in patients with OCD. Engaging in ERP with a trained therapist can help students develop strategies to practice overcoming triggers at school.   At NOCD, we can connect you with an experienced ERP therapist — for you or your child. I encourage you to learn about NOCD’s accessible, evidence-based approach to treatment. Our care team can help guide you through the next steps toward getting support. Our teletherapy services are affordable, accessible and available in all 50 states.

We specialize in treating OCD

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OCD When Writing: How to Stop Your Symptoms and Get More Done.

I. introduction.

For many people, writing is a therapeutic and enjoyable activity that allows them to express themselves creatively. However, for some, writing can be a source of distress and anxiety due to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Below, we’ll take a look at what writing ocd is, its impact on writers, and the importance of recognizing and addressing it. We will also delve into the causes and symptoms of OCD when writing and provide practical strategies for managing it. If you or someone you know is struggling with writing OCD, this section is for you. Let’s get started.

When it comes to writing, OCD can manifest in various ways, such as obsessively checking and rechecking work, endlessly rewriting, or struggling with perfectionism.

OCD is estimated to affect around 1 2% of the population, and while the exact prevalence of OCD when writing is unknown, it is believed to be a common problem among those with OCD. Left untreated, writing OCD can interfere with productivity, creativity, and writing quality, leading to frustration and burnout.

Recognizing the signs and symptoms of writing OCD is the first step towards managing the condition and achieving a healthy and stress free writing practice. By seeking help and implementing effective coping strategies, writers with OCD can reduce their symptoms and improve their overall well being, leading to more enjoyable and fulfilling writing.

II. Causes of writing OCD

OCD is a complex and multifaceted disorder that can be influenced by a range of factors, including genetics, environment, and personal characteristics. In this section, we will explore the various causes of writing OCD in more detail. We will discuss the role of nature vs. nurture, the impact of stress, anxiety, and perfectionism, and the surprising link between creativity and writing OCD.

A. Nature vs. Nurture: Understanding the Role of Genetics and Environment

Genetics may make some individuals more susceptible to developing writing OCD. Studies have shown that individuals with first degree relatives with OCD are at a higher risk of developing the disorder themselves. This suggests that genetics may play a significant role in the development of OCD. However, genetics alone cannot explain the development of OCD.

Environmental factors such as stress, trauma, and childhood experiences can also contribute to the development of OCD. Stressful life events such as relationship problems, work related stress, and financial difficulties can trigger the onset of OCD in some individuals. In addition, traumatic experiences, such as abuse or neglect during childhood, have been linked to the development of OCD later in life.

It’s also important to note that nature and nurture are not mutually exclusive, and that both genetics and environment can interact to increase the likelihood of developing writing OCD . For example, individuals with a genetic predisposition for OCD may be more likely to develop the disorder if they are exposed to environmental stressors.

Overall, the causes of OCD are complex and multifaceted, and more research is needed to fully understand the role of genetics and environment in the development of the disorder.

B. How Stress, Anxiety, and Perfectionism Can Contribute to Writing OCD

Stress, anxiety, and perfectionism are common contributors to writing OCD. Many writers, whether amateur or professional, experience some level of stress and anxiety while writing, especially when working on a project with high stakes or tight deadlines. In some cases, this stress and anxiety can trigger OCD like behaviors.

Perfectionism, which is the tendency to set high standards for oneself and feel dissatisfied with anything less than perfect, can also contribute to writing OCD . When writers strive for perfection, they may become fixated on minor details or spend excessive amounts of time editing and revising their work. This can lead to a cycle of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors that interfere with the writing process.

In addition, the pressure to meet deadlines and produce high quality work can exacerbate stress and anxiety, which in turn can trigger or worsen OCD symptoms. When stress and anxiety become chronic, they can also have a negative impact on a writer’s overall mental health and well being.

It’s important for writers to recognize the role that stress, anxiety, and perfectionism can play in the development and exacerbation of writing OCD. By taking steps to manage these factors, writers can reduce the likelihood of developing or worsening OCD symptoms, and improve their overall writing experience.

C. The Surprising Link Between Creativity and OCD When Writing

While OCD is often associated with rigidity and adherence to rules, there is a surprising link between OCD and creativity, especially in the context of writing. Research has shown that people with OCD may have higher levels of creativity, imagination, and originality. This may be due to the fact that people with OCD tend to be more detail oriented and persistent , which can lead to unique and innovative ideas. However, this creativity can also be a double edged sword when it comes to writing. On one hand, it can help writers to come up with original and imaginative ideas, but on the other hand, it can also lead to excessive rumination and perfectionism, which can hinder the writing process. It’s important for writers with OCD to find a balance between their creativity and their symptoms, and to develop coping strategies that allow them to harness their creativity without being overwhelmed by their OCD.

III. Symptoms of Writing OCD

Welcome to the section on the symptoms of writing OCD. writing OCD can manifest in a variety of ways and can be characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors related to writing. In this section, we will explore the most common signs and symptoms of writing OCD that you need to know. We will also discuss how writing OCD can impact your writing quality and quantity, as well as the emotional toll it can take and how to cope with it. By understanding the symptoms of writing OCD, you can better identify it and seek appropriate treatment. So, let’s dive into the symptoms of writing OCD.

A. The Most Common Signs of writing OCD You Need to Know

Writing OCD can manifest in many ways. Here are some of the most common signs to look out for:

• Repeatedly checking and revising: A common symptom of writing OCD is the need to check and revise written work repeatedly. This can involve reading over the same sentence, paragraph or page multiple times, making minor changes, and then re-reading it again.
• Inability to finish writing tasks: People with writing OCD may struggle to finish written tasks, such as essays or reports, due to a need for perfection or a fear of making mistakes.
• Excessive attention to detail: Another common symptom of writing OCD is a preoccupation with details, which can lead to a tendency to get bogged down in minor issues or errors, rather than focusing on the overall content.
• Repetitive writing: Some people with writing OCD may feel the need to write the same words or phrases repeatedly, which can be time consuming and interfere with productivity.
• Superstitious or ritualistic writing behaviors: writing OCD can also involve superstitious or ritualistic writing behaviors, such as writing in a specific order or using a particular pen.
• Intrusive thoughts: People with writing OCD may experience intrusive thoughts or worries related to their writing, such as fears of plagiarism or concerns about the quality of their work.
• Avoidance of writing: Finally, some people with writing OCD may avoid writing altogether, due to fears of making mistakes or not meeting their own high standards.

B. How Writing OCD Can Affect Your Writing Quality and Quantity

OCD can have a significant impact on the quality and quantity of writing. Here are some ways in which OCD can affect a writer’s work:

• Perfectionism: A common symptom of OCD is the constant need for perfection. When applied to writing, this can result in spending an excessive amount of time editing and revising, which can lead to writer’s block or the inability to finish a piece.
• Repetitive Writing: Individuals with OCD may engage in repetitive writing behaviors, such as rewriting the same sentence or paragraph over and over again. This can be time consuming and make it difficult to move on to the next section or chapter of a piece.
• Compulsions: In some cases, OCD can manifest as writing compulsions, such as the need to write in a specific way or style, or the need to write a certain number of words or pages each day. These compulsions can interfere with the natural flow of writing and creativity.
• Avoidance: OCD can also lead to avoidance behaviors, such as avoiding certain topics or genres due to fear of not being able to write about them perfectly. This can limit a writer’s potential and prevent them from exploring new ideas and styles.
• Self Doubt: Finally, OCD can contribute to feelings of self doubt and low self esteem, which can further hinder a writer’s ability to produce quality work.

It is important for writers with OCD to recognize how these symptoms can affect their writing and to seek help in managing their symptoms to ensure they can continue to produce high-quality work.

C. The Emotional Toll of writing OCD and How to Cope with It

Writing OCD can take a significant emotional toll on a writer. The constant need for perfection and the fear of making mistakes can lead to high levels of stress and anxiety. Writers with OCD may also experience feelings of guilt, shame, and self doubt when they are unable to meet their own unrealistic standards.

Over time, the emotional impact of writing OCD can become overwhelming, leading to burnout and even depression. It is essential for writers with OCD to learn healthy coping mechanisms to manage their emotions and reduce their stress levels.

One effective coping mechanism for managing the emotional toll of writing OCD is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This type of therapy teaches individuals how to identify and challenge negative thought patterns that contribute to OCD symptoms. Through CBT, writers can learn to recognize when their thoughts are irrational and replace them with more realistic and positive ones.

Another helpful coping mechanism is to build a support system. This can include friends, family, or other writers who understand what it’s like to struggle with OCD when writing. Having people to talk to and lean on can make a significant difference in managing emotions and reducing stress.

Finally, practicing self care is essential for managing the emotional toll of writing OCD. This can include activities such as exercise , meditation, or hobbies that bring joy and relaxation. Taking care of one’s mental and physical health is crucial for maintaining balance and managing the emotional impact of writing OCD.

IV. Coping Strategies for writing OCD

In the previous sections, we looked at the nature of writing OCD, its causes, and the symptoms associated with this condition. Now, it’s time to delve into coping strategies that can help manage the symptoms of OCD when writing. Coping strategies for writing OCD range from professional help to practical techniques that can be integrated into your daily routine. In this section, we will go over the various strategies and techniques that can help manage the symptoms of writing OCD, so you can become a more productive and confident writer.

A. Professional Help: When and How to Seek Treatment for Writing OCD

If you’re struggling with OCD when writing, getting professional help is key. OCD can be a challenging disorder to manage on your own, and a qualified mental health professional can offer support, guidance, and treatment options to help you manage your symptoms.

The first step in seeking treatment for OCD is to talk to your primary care doctor or a mental health professional. They can refer you to a specialist who has experience working with individuals who have OCD. Treatment for OCD may involve a combination of medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes .

Medication can help manage symptoms of OCD by regulating the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly used to treat OCD, as they can help reduce anxiety and obsessive thoughts.

Therapy can also be a helpful tool in managing writing OCD. Cognitive behavioral therapy is often used to treat all different types of OCD. CBT focuses on helping individuals identify their negative thoughts and behaviors and then replace them with more positive and productive ones.

In addition to medication and therapy, there are several lifestyle changes that can help manage writing OCD symptoms. These may include regular exercise, a healthy diet , getting enough sleep, and engaging in stress reducing activities such as meditation or yoga .

Remember, seeking treatment for OCD is a sign of strength, not a weakness. With the right support and treatment, it is possible to manage your symptoms and thrive as a writer.

B. Practical Strategies for Managing Your Writing OCD Symptoms

Dealing with OCD when writing can be challenging, but there are some strategies you can use to help manage the symptoms. Here are some practical strategies that can help:

• Set realistic goals: Often, writers with OCD may set unrealistic goals for themselves, leading to feelings of failure and frustration. Setting achievable goals can help to build confidence and reduce anxiety.
• Break tasks into smaller steps: Writing a book or article can be overwhelming, so breaking it down into smaller tasks can help to reduce anxiety and make the writing process more manageable.
• Create a routine: Establishing a regular writing routine can help to reduce stress and anxiety. Set aside specific times for writing each day or week and try to stick to them.
• Limit distractions: Distractions can make it difficult to focus on writing, so try to eliminate them as much as possible. Turn off your phone and avoid checking email or social media while writing.
• Use positive self talk: Negative self talk can exacerbate OCD symptoms, so try to reframe negative thoughts into positive ones. For example, instead of thinking, “I’ll never get things right, this won’t work” try saying, “I can do this, if I take it one step at a time.”
• Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and visualization can help to reduce stress and anxiety, which can exacerbate your OCD symptoms.
• Take breaks: Writing for long periods without breaks can be exhausting and increase anxiety. Taking regular breaks can help to clear your mind and reduce stress.

Remember, different strategies work for different people. Try out different techniques until you find what works best for you. Additionally, you can work with a mental health professional who specializes in OCD to develop an individualized treatment plan that works for you.

C. Creating a Healthy Writing Routine to Manage OCD When Writing

Creating a healthy writing routine is an effective way to manage writing OCD. It involves setting a schedule for writing and sticking to it, as well as establishing healthy habits that can help reduce anxiety and improve focus.

Here are some tips for creating a healthy writing routine:

• Set a writing schedule: Determine the times of day when you are most productive and schedule your writing sessions accordingly. Be consistent with your schedule and make writing a daily habit.
• Set realistic goals: Set achievable goals for your writing sessions to avoid feeling overwhelmed or discouraged. This can help reduce the pressure and anxiety associated with writing.
• Use positive affirmations: Develop a positive mindset and use affirmations to help you stay motivated and focused on your writing. This can help combat negative self-talk and feelings of doubt or insecurity.
• Take breaks: Take short breaks throughout your writing sessions to help prevent burnout and reduce stress . This can help you maintain focus and productivity over longer periods of time.
• Practice self care: Take care of yourself both physically and mentally by engaging in activities that promote relaxation and well-being. This can include exercise, meditation, or spending time in nature.

By creating a healthy writing routine, you can reduce the impact of writing OCD and improve your overall writing quality and productivity. Remember, it’s important to be patient with yourself and to practice self compassion as you work towards managing your symptoms.

D. How Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques Can Help Manage Writing OCD

Mindfulness and relaxation techniques have been proven to be effective coping strategies for managing OCD. These techniques involve training the mind to focus on the present moment, without judgment, and promoting relaxation of the body and mind.

One mindfulness technique that can be helpful for managing OCD is mindfulness meditation. This involves sitting in a quiet place and focusing on the breath, bringing the attention back to the breath whenever the mind starts to wander. By doing so, one can train the mind to stay in the present moment and reduce the impact of intrusive thoughts and compulsions.

Relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation, can also be useful for managing OCD. This involves tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups throughout the body, promoting a sense of physical and mental relaxation. Other relaxation techniques include deep breathing exercises, visualization, and yoga.

Mindfulness and relaxation techniques can be practiced on their own or in combination with other coping strategies. By incorporating these techniques into a daily routine, writers can learn to manage the symptoms of OCD and reduce the impact of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors on their writing.

V. Conclusion

Throughout this post, we have explored what writing OCD is, its prevalence, and its impact on writing quality and quantity. We have also discussed the causes of writing OCD, the most common symptoms, and practical coping strategies.

• From the Experts

These articles are about special topics related to OCD and related disorders. For more general information, please visit our "About OCD" section.

10 Tips for Treating Academic Perfectionism

By Kayla Zebrowski, LCSW and C. Alec Pollard, PhD

This article was initially published in the Winter 2022 edition of  the OCD Newsletter . 

In the Fall of 2021, the OCD Newsletter featured an informative article by Fred Penzel, PhD, on the nature and treatment of academic perfectionism. In this follow-up article, Kayla Zebrowski and C. Alec Pollard share their recommendations for therapists working with students impaired by this form of OCD. 

“Perfectionism” is a term used in many different ways. It can be a compliment applied to someone thought of as conscientious or fastidious. It has also been identified as a set of traits by psychologists studying personality. In this article, however, we discuss a type of perfectionism involving clinically significant impairment. According to Shafran, Egan, & Wade (2010), dysfunctional perfectionism is:

“the setting of, and striving to meet, very demanding standards that are self-imposed and relentlessly pursued despite…causing problems.”

The application of demanding standards to schoolwork is called dysfunctional academic perfectionism (DAP). Students with DAP may stay up all night trying to perfect their homework or put it off indefinitely because completing the task to their standards feels too overwhelming. People with DAP struggle with indecision and procrastination and, as a result, schoolwork is often turned in late. They are highly self-critical and often seek reassurance, which leads to family conflict. DAP can also lead to social isolation and depression.

Evidence suggests that DAP is more prevalent today than ever before. Researchers have identified a steady rise in perfectionism among college students over the past several decades (Curran & Hill, 2019), a finding consistent with our clinical experience. In fact, DAP is the primary treatment focus for at least 25% of the patients in our Intensive Outpatient Program. Though not officially listed as a subtype of OCD, DAP can be reasonably conceptualized as an obsessive compulsive problem. Perfectionistic obsessions typically involve themes similar to those found in OCD, like intolerance of uncertainty and not-right feelings. Similar to people with OCD, students with DAP engage in avoidance and compulsions. When presented with an academic task, they either avoid it by procrastinating or attempt the task while performing perfectionistic compulsions like over-researching, over-editing, over-studying, mental checking, re-writing, and re-reading.

Viewing DAP as a form of OCD has important treatment implications. It has been our experience that evidence-based interventions for OCD, especially exposure and response prevention (ERP), can be successfully used to treat DAP. Other clinicians report similar findings (Hood & Antony, 2015). Nonetheless, DAP presents special challenges for which some therapists are unprepared. We believe a therapist’s ability to address these challenges is crucial in determining whether or not treatment will be effective. Here are 10 tips we hope will assist students, parents, and therapists contending with the challenges of DAP:  

• Provide the student with a healthy alternative to perfectionism .

Many perfectionists believe the only alternative to striving for perfection is to become irresponsible and unproductive. It is therefore helpful to show students a functional alternative and how it differs from perfectionism. At our clinic, we use the pursuit of excellence as the alternative to perfectionism. The table below highlights the differences. 

•   Help the student establish realistic expectations.

Students with DAP underestimate the amount of time and effort necessary to meaningfully change how they approach academics. It is common for them to expect therapists to get them caught up on incomplete homework from prior classes, avoid getting further behind in current classes, and recover from DAP all at the same time. When presented with such unrealistic goals, the therapist must be the voice of reason. This means establishing realistic expectations and timelines, including the amount of time the student is willing to reserve for therapy. It may also mean discussing unwelcome topics like taking medical leave, attending summer school, scheduling time on the weekends to catch up, and the possibility of being placed back a grade in school. 

•   Get the parents on board.

Parents often come with the same unrealistic expectations as their perfectionistic son or daughter. As a result, they should be included in at least some of the discussions mentioned in Tip #2 so that their expectations are realistic as well. Furthermore, parents who actively accommodate avoidance (e.g., doing the student’s homework) or who do things that increase the student’s anxiety (e.g., pressuring or lecturing) may need guidance from the therapist regarding how best to support recovery.

•   Get the school on board.

The ability of schools to respond effectively to DAP has improved since passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Even so, some teachers, school counselors, and administrators struggle to understand DAP. Failure to turn in homework, for example, may be interpreted as laziness or irresponsibility. The therapist should educate school personnel about DAP, establish realistic expectations, and advocate on behalf of the student for temporary accommodations to address the limitations imposed by DAP. 

•   Look for organizational skill deficits.

Although some students with DAP appear highly organized, many are not. Common deficits include underestimating the time it takes to complete tasks, difficulty establishing priorities, trouble developing and following a schedule, and difficulty organizing an academic project into manageable steps. Therapists should routinely assess the student’s ability to manage and organize study time and address any deficits identified. Many of the strategies used in Behavioral Activation, especially the practice of following a daily schedule, can be helpful for students with DAP. However, the focus here is less on activation and more on completing a planned task (exposure) within the specified time period (response prevention).

•   ERP is more than doing schoolwork quickly. 

Students with DAP are inefficient because of their efforts to avoid the distress of uncertainty and not-right feelings. ERP is an opportunity to learn how to tolerate those feelings, not a race to get something done. An example of ERP instructions given to one of our students may help illustrate the point:

“Read until you get the urge to re-read a passage in the book, then close the book so you are unable to re-read. Turn on the script we recorded that helps you focus on the feeling of doubt, that you might not have understood the words perfectly. Sit with the doubt while listening to the script for 10 minutes, or until you are confident you will not try to re-read the passage that triggered you. Then resume reading until you are triggered again.”

•   Start ERP with low-challenge, non-academic tasks.

A common mistake in treating DAP is targeting schoolwork as an exposure task before the student has demonstrated the ability to follow response prevention guidelines under less challenging conditions. This is an understandable error given the pressure often exerted by everyone involved. However, some students cannot email a friend without repeatedly deleting and re-writing, much less write a whole term paper. Going too far up the exposure hierarchy at the expense of response prevention adherence risks creating the illusion of progress without the requisite learning needed for real progress to occur. Therapists should ensure the student is able to first resist compulsions during low-challenge, non-academic tasks before incorporating schoolwork into ERP.      

•   Consider incorporating basic start-stop practice.

If a student struggles adhering to time limits in ERP or has difficulty following a study schedule, it may be helpful to assess the student’s fundamental ability to stop and start tasks. For students who have difficulty transitioning between even simple, non-anxiety provoking tasks, basic start-stop practice can be helpful. For example, a student might be instructed to engage in a non-aversive activity (e.g., drawing a picture) for 5 minutes and then practice moving rapidly to the next non-aversive task (e.g., a video game). An alarm or therapist prompt is used to signal the time to move between tasks. Multiple sets of tasks may be included in one practice session. Once the student demonstrates the ability to transition effectively between non-aversive tasks, the therapy can incorporate the more challenging tasks involved in ERP.

•   Diversify the student’s sources of self-worth.

Students with DAP derive their self-worth disproportionately from academic achievement, which further magnifies the threat of doing poorly in school. It is helpful to encourage students to look beyond academics when determining their self-worth. This includes helping them clarify their non-academic values, recognize other interests and talents, and increase their participation in non-academic activities (e.g., social interaction, hobbies, paid or volunteer work, etc.).

• Encourage more flexible long-term goals.

It is common for students with DAP to view certain goals as the ultimate goal, for example, fixating on only certain universities, one professional role, or a specific occupational title. Anything short of that is perceived as failure. It is easy to see how goals like this contribute to academic anxiety. The narrower the definition of success, the greater the chance for “failure.” It is therefore helpful to encourage students to broaden their options. Interventions like cognitive restructuring, values clarification, and motivational interviewing can help students expand their list of acceptable options and develop realistic contingency plans in case their preferred options do not materialize.

DAP is a potentially disabling condition, but in the hands of a skilled OCD therapist, it is highly treatable (Szymanski, 2011). We hope we have encouraged more therapists to work with DAP and that the information we have shared improves the quality of the care they provide. 

References:

Curren, T., Hill, A.P. (2019). Perfectionism is increasing over time: A meta-analysis of birth cohort differences from 1989 to 2016. Psychological Bulletin, 145, 410-429.

Frost, R.O, Marten, P., Lahart, C., & Rosenblate, R. (1990). The dimensions of perfectionism. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 14, 449-468. 

Hood, H.K., & Antony, M.M. (2016). Treatment of perfectionism-related obsessive- compulsive disorders. In E.A., Storch & A., Lewin (Eds.), Clinical Handbook of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, pp. 85-97 . Springer.

Shafran, R., Egan, S., & Wade, T. (2019). Overcoming perfectionism : A self-help guide using scientifically supported cognitive behavioural techniques (2nd Ed.). London: Robinson Publishing.

Sulkowski, M.L., Jordan, C., Dobrinsky, S.R., & Mathews, R.E. (2018). Chapter 12 - OCD in School Settings. In E.A. Storch, J.F. McGuire, & D. McKay (Eds.), The Clinician's Guide to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Childhood Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (pp. 225-241). Academic Press.

Szymanski, J. (2011). The perfectionist’s handbook: Take risks, invite criticism, and make the most of your mistakes. New York: Wiley Publishing.

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How to Write A College Essay on OCD: Intro to Conclusion

Writing a College Essay on OCD

Mental illnesses are common. Over half of Americans are diagnosed with a mental disorder during their life. Mental illnesses are disorders that affect a person’s thinking, mood, feelings, and behavior.

The diseases may be occasional or chronic. They can affect the patient’s ability to relate to others and their daily functions.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is increasingly gaining recognition in recent years. As more people become aware of the psychological illness, the affected are increasingly inclined to seek care.

A person diagnosed with OCD is likely to find it challenging to cope with their symptoms and lead a regular life. It can be very challenging to Stop or cope with obsessive thinking and manage compulsion.

What is OCD

OCD is a mental health condition that affects people of all backgrounds and ages, including children and the elderly. It is characterized by unpleasant thoughts, anxieties, or obsessions that result in compulsions or repetitive activities.

Obsessions and compulsions create severe distress by interfering with daily activities.

When OCD develops, the person becomes trapped in a loop of obsessions and compulsions.

Obsessions are unwelcome, intrusive thoughts, ideas, or desires that cause severe distress.

Compulsions are acts that a person engages in to banish obsessions or reduce distress.

The person recognizes that their compulsions are absurd and unreasonable. Yet, they refuse to give up because they fear the repercussions.

How to Write a College Essay on OCD

Writing a college essay on OCD involves:

1. Starting with a Plan

The initial step in any essay should be to create a documented plan. Start formulating a plan as soon as you receive your OCD essay question and give it some attention.

2. Initiating your Research

After considering the question and establishing an initial approach, gather information and evidence.

3. Create a Point of Contention

Every good OCD essay has a strong and well-supported argument. Contention refers to your essay’s core topic or argument. It serves as both a response to the query and a focal point for your writing.

4. Outline your Essay

Start penning down a possible essay format once you have completed most of your research and have a strong argument. This doesn’t have to be complicated.

A simple outline will do.

5. Create a Captivating Introduction

The introduction is the pivot of your essay. It is also where you give an overview of your work. Have a short, confident, and punchy introduction.

It is essential because it is the reader’s initial experience with your writing. It is also your first answer to the question and explanation of your viewpoint.

6. Compose Complete Paragraphs

Write 100 to 200-word long paragraphs that are mini-essays in themselves. Avoid the mistake many students make of writing short, one- or two-line paragraphs.

7. Conclude with a Strong Statement

Restate or emphasize your essay’s main point in the last paragraph of your essay. Aim for a solid, polished, and smooth ending.

8. Cite and Reference your Sources

Use Citations or references to credible sources to back up the facts, ideas, and arguments in your essay. This is one of the ways to avoid plagiarism in your essay.

9. Proofread, Edit, and get Feedback

Proofread, edit, and redraft your essay, if necessary, before sending it for evaluation.        

OCD is a well-researched subject. There aren’t a lot of new studies that you can include in your OCD essay. As a result, you can use the following plan to organize your OCD essay.

1st point in OCD essay

You can describe how OCD develops. According to scientists, psychological and biological variables are thought to induce OCD.

OCD Essay Point 2

Then, in your essay about OCD, discuss the disorder’s symptoms. Focus on Obsessions or intrusive thoughts, and compulsions. Compulsions are mental acts or compulsive behaviors that a person feels compelled to engage in owing to an obsession.

Usually, the practices help lessen or prevent pain due to an obsession. Common compulsions include:

• Repeated cleaning of household items
• Counting to a specific number repeatedly
• Seeking acceptance or reassurance all the time
• Putting items in a particular order or arrangement
• Checking switches, locks, or appliances regularly
• Ritualized or excessive hand washing, tooth brushing, showering, or toileting

OCD Essay Point 3

Finally, discuss OCD treatment options, including pharmacological, behavioral, and cognitive approaches. A patient can concentrate on learning to manage symptoms under the supervision of a skilled therapist and through behavioral therapy.

Explain that a person can learn to effectively manage symptoms and regain function in their lives if they are committed to this treatment.

If you find this method for writing an OCD essay to be too broad, your essay could narrow your focus on symptoms, for example. You can explain how obsessions influence a person in your OCD essay.

Also, you could discuss the typical items that people are obsessed with, the negative repercussions of compulsions, and so on.

Besides, you can interview someone with OCD to make your essay more informative and engaging. Remember that it takes up a lot of time in a person’s life and creates significant impairment.

Also, keep in mind that patients can get help irrespective of their ideas and behaviors or the severity of their symptoms.

Best Sources for Your References on OCD Essay

OCD-related organizations and resources include:

Mental Health America

International OCD Foundation

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Anxiety Disorders Association of America

National Institute on Mental Health. OCD

The American Psychiatric Association (APA)

The Top 100 Cited Articles on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

OCD – MedlinePlus https://medlineplus.gov

OCD – NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › books ›

9 Examples of OCD Essay Topics

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder essay topic examples include:

OCD In Children

Living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

OCD- Psychiatric Disease

Research on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

OCD: Causes and Treatment

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in The Aviator

Outline and Evaluate Psychological Explanations For OCD

Clinical Psychology OCD treatment and approaches

Outline and evaluate Two Biological Explanations for OCD

Other Info on OCD in School

Many people who do not have OCD also experience troubling thoughts or actions. However, these thoughts and habits rarely cause problems in everyday life.

OCD patients have persistent thoughts and strict habits. Failure to engage in the behaviors creates a lot of distress. Many people with OCD are aware or suspect that their obsessions are irrational or unreal.

Ignoring Compulsions can lead to severe manic episodes. Students with OCD may find it difficult to concentrate in class or finish projects.

They feel compelled to undertake routines such as hand washing, rewriting sentences, or reorganizing notes. Intrusive thoughts can be both distracting and disturbing to the learning process.

Others may believe they are, which is known as limited insight. People with OCD have a hard time disengaging from their obsessive thoughts or stopping their compulsive behaviors.

It persists even when they are aware that their obsessions are unrealistic. In the United States, OCD affects two to three percent of the population. It is slightly more prevalent in women than men.

Typically, OCD starts in infancy, adolescence, or early adulthood. The average age of onset is 19 years old. An OCD diagnosis requires obsessions and compulsions that last more than one hour a day.

These cause significant discomfort and interfere with work or social functioning.

Obsessions are recurring and persistent ideas, impulses, or pictures that elicit unpleasant emotions like worry or revulsion. Many people with OCD are aware that their thoughts, impulses, or images are excessive or irrational.

However, logic and reasoning will not be able to alleviate the anguish caused by these unwanted thoughts. Most OCD patients try to distract themselves from the obsessions by performing compulsions, or suppressing or ignoring the obsessions.

James Lotta

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Is OCD a bad topic for a college essay?

My early application is due in a few days, and I have two eligible college essays to choose from. One of them I wrote for my National Merit Scholarship application, in which I describe my experience with OCD as an obstacle I have overcome. I think it’s a pretty strong essay, about an event that more significantly impacted me than what I wrote about in my other college essay. That said, I’ve spent more time on my other essay because I have, until now, thought that’d be the one I’d submit.

My question is, is it ill-advised to write about a mental disorder like OCD in a college essay? I’m not doing it to explain anything negative on my transcript. Do colleges not want to accept students that have these types of issues?

I would avoid discussing mental illnesses for a college essay. You want to show off the best side of you, rather than your weakness. Plus, if you have spent all of your time on the other application essay, that’s probably the better of the two. I would send that one in.

Advice on writing my college essay? Is mental health an alright topic? Answered

Hello! I am a rising senior and have starting writing my college essay. I have an idea but I just wanted to make sure that it was doable and not too cliché.

I have OCD and have been diagnosed since I was four years old. As I child, I had compulsions such as washing my hands until they were dry, cracked, and bleeding in order to avoid germs. This led to my diagnosis and furthermore the first of many prescriptions.

The prescriptions and the difficulties I faced as I struggled to find one that worked are the main point of the essay as I discuss how I saw them as magic and never questioned how they worked. When I finally decided to ask a psychiatrist how they worked I was shocked when he said that they didn’t know. He explained that some medication, particularly mental health medication worked but doctors were unsure why. This sparked a desire in me to understand the medications that had been such a big part of my life and find out how they worked. This has led me to want to study medicinal chemistry. This way I could help people in the future to have access to medicine that would work for them and their brain. This way I could prevent them from having to play the same prescription guessing game that I did.

I’m worried mental health is too cliché of a subject or this will read as a sob story. Any advice? Should I write my essay on this topic?

Thank you so much!

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I think it can depend on the admission officers reading your essays because I heard from some admission officers that mental health could be a "red flag." But that is not to discourage you from writing about mental health as it could be a great essay if you can write it well and translate to a great story. The reason why mental health could be seen as a "red flag" is because colleges have a large load of coursework and many students dropout due to inability to handle such classes with stress, mental health, etc...

It really depends on the mental health problem cause in my personal college essay I wrote about how my mother was deployed for 13 months and it affected my mental health (like depression, anxiety, what not) but I improved my academic profile as a result to make her proud so my "sob story" was positive. I like the concept of this considering you did have a spark and it seems overall positive so I think you should write about it! They eat stuff like this up, why you got into it and stuff similar to that. It would only be a problem for colleges if the work in school messed with your OCD which resulted in poor behaviors since colleges typically have a lot of work but I think you should do it! If you don't wanna go with this you should definitely just alter the view of mental health, but make sure is true to you.

Hi @abbieeidda !

This sounds like a good personal statement idea which also has a nice tie-in with your intended major. That said, writing about mental health in college applications is risky: it might raise doubts (valid or not) about your ability to perform lots of rigorous coursework.

The way to get around this is making sure you have a clear arc in your narrative. Your essay should lay out your difficulties with OCD, but then also show how you've learned to manage it and become a highly effective person. It could then also move on to you deciding to study medicinal chemistry.

This format will help prevent assuage concerns about your ability to succeed with a college-level course load. It will also help you avoid the "sob story" trope by focusing more on your journey with OCD and ensuring you have a more complete narrative.

So, in short, I think it's a good idea. You just need to be careful in how you go about it.

Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you Shane! Do you know if there is a place where I ask someone to review my essay? I think I have finished it but I was just wondering if there was a resource where it could be checked by an expert. I am kind of worried that colleges won’t want to accept me bc of my mental illness as you stated. I don’t want them to think that I can’t handle rigorous course work. Thanks again!

Hi @abbieeidda , we actually have two ways you can have your essay reviewed with CollegeVine. The first is a peer-reviewed, which works kind of like Communities in that your essay will be reviewed by a student in exchange for Karma. The other option is a professional review, where you select and pay an expert to give you professional feedback. You can find the links to both options here: https://www.collegevine.com/experts/essay-review

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