What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

Find a therapist to treat OCD

Relationship OCD involves intense obsession over one's partner or the relationship.

ROCD is often frustrating and exhausting for loved ones providing continuous reassurance.

Through treatment, people with ROCD learn to accept uncertainty in relationships.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by many themes and subtypes. Within the past decade, there has been growing acknowledgement and understanding of what is called relationship OCD, or ROCD for short. As with other forms of OCD, ROCD is characterized by intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (including mental) aimed at reducing distress that usually—and inadvertently—feeds into the obsessive cycle.

While many people experience doubts about their romantic relationships, ROCD obsessions are particularly intense, troubling, and seemingly impossible to reason through.

There are two subtypes of ROCD:

Partner-focused or PF-ROCD: People with PF-ROCD are focused on their partner’s qualities. They obsess over whether their partner is the “right person” for them or whether they’re attracted to their partner. They may repetitively scrutinize their partner’s perceived attractiveness, intelligence, compatibility, and ability to get along.

Relationship-centered or RCOCD: People with RCOCD focus more on the relationship itself. They obsess over whether they are in the "right relationship.” They want absolute certainty that the relationship will last—something that’s impossible to know for anyone.

It’s important to note that these subtypes aren’t mutually exclusive. In my clinical experience, many people with ROCD experience both.

You may notice the word “right” appears in both subtypes. That word, "right," is a common sign of the intense difficulty tolerating uncertainty that is characteristic of OCD.

While ROCD frequently focuses on romantic relationships, it may also apply to other close relationships, such as those between a parent and child. For example, one client with whom I worked was obsessed with the idea that her spouse and child would both be happier without her in their lives. She had trouble being present with and enjoying their company because she constantly obsessed over........

© Psychology Today