The 'heartbreaking' OCD that can make you doubt your relationship
Relationship OCD (ROCD) is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder characterized by persistent, intrusive doubts about one's partner or relationship compatibility. Experts emphasize that this condition causes significant mental distress and differs from typical relationship anxieties.
Why it matters
Increased awareness of specific OCD subtypes helps reduce stigma and encourages those suffering from 'mental torture' to seek professional psychological support.
Image source, Sophia Image caption, Sophia describes the toll of having relationship OCD as "mental torture"
Sophia, 24, has been in a loving relationship for more than a year, but she still finds herself questioning everything about it - from how compatible she and her boyfriend are to whether she loves him at all, and what action she might take as a result.
"I couldn't leave the house because I was so worried I would cheat on my boyfriend," says Sophia, a content creator and waitress from Leeds.
"At my worst, I couldn't go to work. I'd be lying in bed all day, asking [Chat] GPT hundreds of questions to try and get reassurance."
Sophia is describing living with relationship OCD (ROCD), a form of obsessive compulsive disorder which experts say goes far beyond the normal relationship doubts that we can all experience.
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