Screening for Mental Health, Inc.
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This screening tool is designed for anyone experiencing unwanted thoughts or repetitive behaviors that may indicate Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Taking just 5-10 minutes to complete, this assessment is based on the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory – Revised (OCI-R), a validated screening tool widely used by mental health professionals across the United States. Your responses are completely anonymous and confidential. What is OCD? OCD is a mental health condition involving unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) that a person feels driven to perform. It’s not about being neat or organized—it’s a serious condition that causes significant distress and interferes with daily functioning.
Important Disclaimer:
This is a screening tool only, not a diagnosis. OCD is highly treatable with proper evidence-based therapy and support. Please discuss your results with your primary care doctor or a mental health professional specializing in OCD. All responses are anonymous and confidential.
Obsessions: Unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that cause significant anxiety or distress. Common themes include fear of contamination or germs; fear of harm coming to yourself or loved ones; need for symmetry, order, or exactness; unwanted sexual or violent thoughts that are distressing; religious or moral concerns (scrupulosity); and fear of losing important items or information.
Compulsions: Repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce the anxiety caused by obsessions. Common compulsions include excessive washing or cleaning; checking locks, switches, appliances, or doors repeatedly; counting, tapping, or repeating actions; arranging things in a highly specific way; seeking reassurance from others repeatedly; and mental rituals like praying, counting, or repeating words silently.
The OCD cycle: An obsession triggers intense anxiety, which leads to performing a compulsion, providing temporary relief, before the obsession returns—often stronger than before. This cycle maintains and strengthens OCD over time.
Everyone has occasional intrusive thoughts or preferences for how things are arranged. OCD is fundamentally different because thoughts are persistent, uncontrollable, and occur for hours daily; they cause significant distress and anxiety; compulsions are time-consuming, often taking up one or more hours daily; they substantially interfere with daily life, work, school, or relationships; and the person recognizes the thoughts are excessive or unreasonable but feels powerless to stop them.
To complete this screening accurately, rate how much each statement has bothered you in the past month. Be honest about the frequency and impact of these experiences—this helps ensure accurate results. Think about your typical experience, not just one particularly bad day or week. There are no right or wrong answers. All questions should be answered for the most accurate assessment.
Rating scale: For each statement, rate how much it has distressed or bothered you:
Add up your scores from all 18 questions. The total possible score ranges from 0-72 points.
Score interpretation:
Subscale patterns: The OCI-R measures six specific symptom areas:
You may score high in one or more specific areas, which helps identify your particular OCD symptom profile and can guide treatment approaches.
What this means: Your responses strongly suggest symptoms consistent with OCD. These symptoms are likely causing significant distress and meaningfully interfering with your daily life, work, relationships, or overall functioning.
Next steps:
Important to know:
What this means: You’re experiencing some obsessive-compulsive symptoms that may be affecting your quality of life, concentration, or daily functioning. While your symptoms may not meet the full diagnostic criteria for OCD, they definitely warrant professional attention and could benefit from treatment.
Next steps:
Keep in mind:
What this means: Your responses don’t strongly suggest OCD at this time. Your experiences appear to be within a more typical range.
Remember:
OCD is highly treatable, with research showing most people experience significant improvement with proper evidence-based treatment.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with ERP:
How ERP works: Your therapist helps you create a hierarchy of fears, ranking situations from least to most anxiety-provoking. You gradually face feared situations, starting with less distressing ones. The crucial step is resisting the urge to perform compulsions while in the anxiety-provoking situation. You learn through direct experience that anxiety decreases naturally without rituals. This process breaks the OCD cycle and retrains your brain’s response.
Medication:
Combined treatment: CBT with ERP plus medication is often the most effective approach, especially for moderate to severe OCD. Research shows combination treatment leads to better outcomes than either treatment alone for many people.
Self-help strategies: Delay compulsions gradually rather than trying to stop cold turkey. Reduce reassurance-seeking behaviors from family and friends. Challenge OCD thoughts using techniques learned in therapy. Practice mindfulness and acceptance strategies. Join support groups to connect with others who understand. Educate family members about OCD so they can provide appropriate support.
Your primary care doctor: The first step for initial assessment and referrals to OCD specialists.
Mental health specialists:
Specialist OCD organizations:
Treatment programs:
Insurance coverage: Most health insurance plans cover OCD treatment under mental health benefits. Medicaid covers OCD diagnosis and treatment in all states. Contact your insurance provider to understand your specific coverage and find in-network ERP specialists. Some therapists offer sliding-scale fees if cost is a barrier.
Recovery is possible: Many people achieve significant symptom reduction with proper treatment. Some recover completely and no longer meet diagnostic criteria. Others manage symptoms effectively without significant life interference. Relapse can happen, particularly during stressful life periods, but you’ll have the tools and techniques to cope effectively when symptoms resurface.
Lifestyle factors that help: Regular physical exercise has been shown in research to reduce anxiety and improve mood. Prioritizing good sleep hygiene supports mental health and reduces OCD symptoms. Developing effective stress management techniques prevents symptom escalation. Avoiding alcohol and recreational drugs is important, as these can worsen OCD symptoms and interfere with treatment. Maintaining social connections and relationships provides crucial support. Continuing to practice therapy techniques even when feeling well helps prevent relapse.
When to seek additional help: Contact your therapist or doctor if symptoms return or worsen significantly after a period of improvement. Major life changes or stressors may trigger increased symptoms. If compulsions are becoming unmanageable or taking up more time daily. If you’re experiencing depression alongside OCD, which is common. When you’re struggling with daily functioning at work, school, or home.
For family and friends: Learn about OCD—understanding the condition helps you provide better support. Don’t participate in rituals or provide reassurance, as this maintains the OCD cycle. Encourage treatment but remain patient—recovery takes time and isn’t linear. Recognize that OCD is separate from the person; it’s an illness they’re managing, not who they are. Remember to look after your own wellbeing too, as supporting someone with OCD can be emotionally challenging.
Myth: OCD is just about being clean and organized. Reality: OCD involves distressing obsessions and time-consuming compulsions across many themes including harm, contamination, symmetry, intrusive thoughts, and more—not just cleanliness or organization.
Myth: Everyone’s a little bit OCD. Reality: OCD is a serious mental health disorder causing significant impairment and distress, not a personality quirk or preference for tidiness.
Myth: People with OCD can just stop if they try hard enough. Reality: OCD involves neurobiological components affecting brain circuits. Willpower alone isn’t sufficient—professional treatment using evidence-based approaches like ERP is needed.
Myth: OCD can’t be treated effectively. Reality: OCD is one of the most treatable mental health conditions when proper evidence-based therapy (CBT with ERP) is provided. Research shows high success rates.
Myth: Medication is the only treatment option. Reality: CBT with ERP is often more effective than medication alone for long-term outcomes. Combined treatment (therapy plus medication) works best for many people with moderate to severe OCD.
This screening is based on: Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory – Revised (OCI-R)
Reference: Foa, E.B., Huppert, J.D., Leiberg, S., Langner, R., Kichic, R., Hajcak, G., & Salkovskis, P.M. (2002). The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory: Development and validation of a short version. Psychological Assessment, 14(4), 485-495.Important disclaimer: This online screening tool is not a diagnostic instrument. It provides guidance only and cannot replace professional evaluation by a qualified mental health provider such as a psychologist or psychiatrist. OCD diagnosis requires comprehensive assessment by a trained professional that includes clinical interview, symptom evaluation, and ruling out other conditions. If symptoms are causing significant distress or impairment in your daily life, contact your primary care doctor or a mental health professional for proper assessment and treatment referral. This tool is for informational and educational purposes only. We do not store or collect personal health information, ensuring your privacy is protected in accordance with HIPAA regulations and applicable privacy laws.