What is Real Event OCD?

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a highly distressing condition to live with.  It has been ranked by the World Health Organisation in the top 10 most debilitating illnesses a person can experience.  It is a condition I wouldn’t wish on anyone, and I know there are many people out there in a private mental hell. 

Real Event OCD consists of obsessions and compulsions about past events.  This can be a particularly distressing theme, as we are dealing with real moments that we regret, rather than more hypothetical “what if...?” catastrophising about the future. 

People with REOCD might not recognise that they are dealing with OCD, believing that they’ve done something completely unforgivable. 

There is no definitive list of past events which qualify for REOCD, as OCD can attach itself to anything we care about and anything we’ve done in the past.  Common sub-themes of REOCD seem to revolve around these obsessions:

• Morals and ethics – did I do something wrong? 

• Sexual incidents – did I do something inappropriate for which I could be ‘cancelled’? 

• Harm or aggression – did I harm or risk harming someone? 

• Religion – did I do something sinful or blasphemous? 

• Harm in relationships – did I mistreat or abuse my partner? 

• Breaking rules and laws – could / should there be consequences for me? 

To try to make these obsessions go away for good, we fall into the trap of compulsions including:

• Mentally reviewing and replaying events.

• Seeking reassurance from other people or the internet.

• Avoiding people, places or things which might trigger our worries.

• Excessively checking old messages or information.

• Overcompensating by trying to be excessively ‘good’ all the time.

Unfortunately, all these compulsions achieve is to refuel the obsessive doubts and worries, creating a negative feedback loop which makes us feel more and more confused, scared and ashamed.

Recovery from REOCD is possible! Check my FAQs, if you would like to know more.