Thanks
Clinical Psychologist, Psychologist
Checking light switches, stoves and taps can be perfectly normal behaviour, even if not everyone would do it - but if it is excessive and interferes with your life or relationships, such checking might be a symptom of OCD.
For this to be properly diagnosed you would need to see a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist who can conduct a comprehensive interview and properly make, or rule out, such a diagnosis. Other health professionals, including your GP, may be able to make a fair assessment of whether such a diagnosis would be likely. However, OCD is often misdiagnosed, so confirmation from a psychologist or psychiatrist with experience in assessing and treating OCD would be advisable. Seeing a GP can be a good first step, though, because a GP can assist in making a referral if this is needed.
Obsessive compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder characterised by intrusive thoughts, images or urges that cause distress, and actions taken to eliminate that distress. Whether your checking would be diagnosed as OCD depends on a number of factors, such as:
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