It is expected that we will all experience moments of doubt at times which will lead us to question ourselves—our actions, knowledge, abilities, and beliefs is often at the center of this questioning. To some extent, questioning ourselves can be healthy if done in a way that facilitates self-growth and introspection. On the other hand, too much self-doubt can hinder us from living a fulfilling life. Self-doubt can present itself in variety of behaviors, such as seeking external reassurance, procrastination, and comparing ourselves to others. For individuals with OCD, self-doubt is intensified and can make it feel impossible to make decisions; this often results in avoidance of the things one cares about or focusing too much on preventing feared outcomes. While typical self-doubt might go away as we gain more tangible information, OCD doubt is maintained despite the logical evidence we have. 

 The ways that self-doubt presents in OCD may be more easily identifiable if the nature of the ritual is illogical or senseless, while other types of rituals may go unchecked–especially if the behavior we are engaging in is socially expected or acceptable. Here are examples of some of the more subtle OCD behaviors that could be reinforcing your doubt…

-Excessive List-Making: As an OCD compulsion, list-making might look like

• Adding unnecessary or routine items to a reminder task list ‘just in case’ (8:00 AM: get out of bed. 8:05 AM: brush teeth 8:15 AM: let the dog out)
• Making multiple lists with the same or slightly varied information, or alternatively, repeatedly checking the same list to ensure you wrote something down 
• Excessive focus on editing lists to ensure that they feel ‘right’ before initiating tasks

-Overpreparation: Similar to list-making, this can also show up as

• Excessively editing, re-reading, and re-checking emails or assignments for errors before submitting 
• Spending hours researching every detail about a topic as a way to alleviate uncertainty or test knowledge
• Mentally rehearsing for interactions to ensure that you have prepared for every possible response 

-Saving/Hoarding: Unlike typical saving behaviors, in an OCD context, this can be…

• Holding onto old school assignments, newspaper clippings, or outdated documents that haven’t been referenced in years in case they become useful in the future
• Needing to review/analyze memories to ensure that no details are forgotten, hoarding digital and/or physical photos
• Writing down excessive details when note-taking, or feeling the need to write down information that occurred throughout the day even if unimportant

Here are questions to consider if you are struggling to differentiate your OCD rituals from your non-OCD behaviors:

• Is my current behavior being driven by feelings of anxiety, discomfort, or distress?   
• Does this action feel aligned with my values and what is important to me? 
• Do I want to engage in this behavior, or do I feel like I have to? What would happen if I didn’t?
• Is there any information that I can point to in the here-and-now that supports my doubt?
• Am I interpreting my worry or discomfort as proof of lack of knowledge?
• Is this behavior taking up significantly more time or energy compared to other tasks?