Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Quiz
Check your symptoms and
find possible causes with AI for free
Worried about your symptoms?
Start the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder test with our free AI Symptom Checker.
This will help us personalize your assessment.
By starting the symptom checker, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Anxiety attack
Stressed
Intrusive thoughts
Anxiety flare up
Feeling uneasy
Repetitive action
Constantly checking phone
Obsessive cleaning
Increased irritability
Body focused repetitive behaviors
Checking if the door is locked multiple times
Anxious about nothing
Feeling flustered
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
A mental illness where a patient has uncontrollable, recurring thoughts, ideas, or sensations (obsessions) that make them feel compelled to do something repeatedly, like cleaning or washing their hands (compulsions).
Typical Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Unable to stop oneself from doing irrational things
- Feeling compelled to check frequently that doors are locked or the stove is switched off
- Stressed over daily life
- Episodes of sudden, severe anxiety or fear
- Force or persuade your friends / family to act on your compulsions
- Fears that are sometimes irrational or illogical
- Feeling more sensitive or irritable
- Getting anxious about anything and everything
Diagnostic Questions for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Do you frequently feel compelled to check doors and stove switches?
- Do you feel stressed or unhappy about going to work or school?
- Do you experience sudden, intense anxiety or fear?
- Do you make others act on your compulsions?
- Do you think your fears are sometimes irrational or illogical?
Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), a kind of psychotherapy, is effective for many patients with OCD. Common psychiatric medications, like antidepressants, may also be prescribed to treat OCD.
Reviewed By:
Weston S. Ferrer, MD (Psychiatry)
Weston Ferrer is a physician leader, psychiatrist, and clinical informaticist based in San Francisco. With nearly a decade of experience in academia and more recent immersion in industry, he has made significant contributions to the fields of digital health, health tech, and healthcare innovation. | As an Associate Professor at UCSF, Weston was involved in teaching, leadership, and clinical practice, focusing on the intersection of technology and mental health. He recently led mental health clinical for Verily (formerly Google Life Sciences), where he applied his expertise to develop innovative solutions for mental healthcare using the tools of AI/ML, digital therapeutics, clinical analytics, and more.. | Weston is known for his unique ability to innovate and support product development while bringing pragmatism to technology entrepreneurship. He is a strong advocate for patient-centered care and is committed to leveraging technology to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities. |
Yu Shirai, MD (Psychiatry)
Dr. Shirai works at the Yotsuya Yui Clinic for mental health treatment for English and Portuguese-speaking patients. He treats a wide range of patients from neurodevelopmental disorders to dementia in children and participates in knowledge sharing through the Diversity Clinic.
Content updated on Feb 19, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
Was this page helpful?
Tell your friends about us.
We would love to help them too.
Think you might have
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
Try a symptom check testHow Ubie Can Help You
With a free 3-min Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder quiz, powered by Ubie's AI and doctors, find possible causes of your symptoms.
This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
Your symptoms
Our AI
Your report
Your personal report will tell you
✔ When to see a doctor
✔︎ What causes your symptoms
✔︎ Treatment information etc.
People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Going to extremes to counter OCD behavior
- Have to force my family to make sure they are clean too
- I keep worrying that the gas is still switched on
- Change my clothes a few times a day because of cleanliness
- Compulsion to check that doors are locked
- Doing irrational things to prevent other irrational actions from happening
- Getting family to check the locks multiple times before leaving the house
- Cleaning hands after touching anything
- Feel the need to repeatedle check the locks for reassurance
- Often have to persuade my family or friends to get rid of germs
- Keep going back to check that locks are correct
- Washing hands very frequently
See full list
Symptoms Related to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Diseases Related to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
FAQs
Q.
Stuck in a Loop? The Science of OCD and Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
OCD is a real, brain-based condition marked by intrusive obsessions and compulsions that can consume over an hour a day, tied to circuits like the orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, and basal ganglia with key roles for serotonin. Medically approved next steps include ERP therapy as the gold standard, SSRIs often at higher doses with 8 to 12 weeks to take full effect, and combined care or intensive programs for severe cases, alongside tracking symptoms and seeking a professional evaluation. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more.
References:
* Fontenelle, L. F., & Yücel, M. (2022). Obsessive-compulsive disorder: a comprehensive review. *World J Psychiatry, 12*(12), 1426-1449.
* Masi, G., et al. (2023). Obsessive-compulsive disorder: a review of the pathophysiology and treatment. *J Psychiatr Res, 163*, 449-460.
* Denys, D., et al. (2023). Neurobiological Mechanisms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: From Animal Models to Clinical Practice. *Curr Top Behav Neurosci, 63*, 159-195.
* Ostapczuk, A., et al. (2023). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of its efficacy. *J Affect Disord, 335*, 102-111.
* Dold, M., et al. (2020). Pharmacotherapy of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Review. *Dialogues Clin Neurosci, 22*(4), 421-432.
Q.
Stuck in a Loop? Why Your Brain Won’t Stop: OCD Symptoms & Medical Steps
A.
OCD symptoms and medical steps: OCD is a real, treatable condition where intrusive obsessions trigger compulsions that can take over daily life; the most effective care is Exposure and Response Prevention therapy, often enhanced by SSRIs or other antidepressants. There are several factors and safety red flags to consider, including when symptoms are severe, interfere with life, or involve self-harm thoughts that require urgent care; see the complete details below for diagnosis steps, treatment choices, supportive habits, and a symptom check to prepare for your appointment.
References:
* Dell'Osso, B., & Altamura, A. C. (2023). Obsessive-compulsive disorder: An update on etiology, pathophysiology and treatment. *Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry*, *123*, 110712.
* Karthikeyan, S., & Bhaskaran, M. (2022). Neurobiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder: Current and future perspectives. *Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice*, *13*(04), 603-611.
* Fineberg, N. A., Apergis-Schoute, J., Baillif, A., Banerjee, S., Clarke, R., Craig, K. J., ... & Robbins, T. W. (2020). Clinical features and diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder. *Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience*, *22*(2), 119–131.
* Goodman, W. K., Storch, E. A., & Sheth, S. A. (2019). Obsessive-compulsive disorder: A review of current treatments. *Molecular Psychiatry*, *24*(1), 1-17.
* Sharma, E., & Sharma, N. (2021). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Update on Pathophysiology and Treatment. *Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine*, *43*(3), 199-210.
Q.
Is It OCD? Why Your Brain Is Stuck in Loops & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
There are several factors to consider: OCD is a medical condition where intrusive, unwanted thoughts trigger anxiety and repetitive behaviors that briefly relieve it, creating reinforcing loops that can significantly disrupt daily life. Medically approved next steps include Exposure and Response Prevention therapy, often combined with SSRIs, plus urgent evaluation for severe depression or safety concerns; self-help steps like tracking triggers and delaying rituals can support care. For key distinctions from general anxiety and specific guidance that may change your next step, see the complete details below.
References:
* Gürsel DA, Savaş HA, Kırılmaz A, Eşel E. The neurobiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder: a review of the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) circuit model and beyond. J Obsessive Compuls Relat Disord. 2018 Sep;18:1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jocrd.2018.06.002. Epub 2018 Jun 21. PMID: 30206606.
* Loo C, et al. Evidence-based pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of first-line treatments. J Psychiatr Res. 2020 Sep;129:1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.06.012. Epub 2020 Jun 20. PMID: 32619894.
* Pittenger C, Bloch MH. Obsessive-compulsive disorder: a current review. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2016 May;18(5):49. doi: 10.1007/s11920-016-0683-x. PMID: 27072719.
* O'Daly A, et al. Neurocircuitry and neurophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder: An updated review. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2023 Apr 19;123:110724. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110724. Epub 2023 Feb 28. PMID: 36863212.
* Fisher PL, O'Connor K. Cognitive behavioral therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: a review of the current evidence and future directions. Br J Clin Psychol. 2020 Dec;59(4):469-485. doi: 10.1111/bjc.12260. Epub 2020 Mar 24. PMID: 32207923.
Ubie is supervised by 50+ medical experts worldwide
Our symptom checker AI is continuously refined with input from experienced physicians, empowering them to make more accurate diagnoses.
Ubie is recognized by healthcare and tech leaders
“World’s Best Digital
Health Companies”
Newsweek 2024
“Best With AI”
Google Play Best of 2023
“Best in Class”
Digital Health Awards 2023 (Quarterfinalist)
Which is the best Symptom Checker?
Ubie’s symptom checker demonstrated a Top-10 hit accuracy of 71.6%, surpassing the performance of several leading symptom checkers in the market, which averaged around 60% accuracy in similar assessments.
Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Stein DJ, Costa DLC, Lochner C, Miguel EC, Reddy YCJ, Shavitt RG, van den Heuvel OA, Simpson HB (2019). Obsessive-compulsive disorder. Nature reviews. Disease primers.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31371720/Goodman WK (1999). Obsessive-compulsive disorder: diagnosis and treatment. The Journal of clinical psychiatry.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10487253/Singh A, Anjankar VP, Sapkale B (2021). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): A Comprehensive Review of Diagnosis, Comorbidities, and Treatment Approaches. Cureus.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38111433/