Instead of sitting here listing all the symptoms that are not OCD which would probably be impossible, I am going to list the characteristics that you can see in the ones that are, here it is right now: If you do something that you really don't want to do out of fear that something bad will happen and that action would or could not rationally affect the situation, then you have OCD. So if your symptoms fit that, then you have OCD, otherwise, it's very unlikely that you actually have OCD. What then can you do if you don't meet this criteria? Well you can certainly go to a doctor who will most definitely refer you to a psychologist or therapist to "talk" out your problems. This person should be able to help you figure out what it is that is ailing you.

You must think that although these professionals can tell you their opinion of what they think it might be as there is no conclusive medical test that can be done to prove whether you have OCD or not, it's basically a decision that a professional and you make together. I personally don't think it takes a rocket scientist to realize whether you have OCD or not. I really don't. Instead what I think would be good is to try to use the methods that are used to treat and cure OCD to see how they affect and help you.

Play therapy is increasing in popularity as a treatment tool. Search the internet and you will find loads of toys for the treatment provider. Most sell products and toys with no explanation as to how to apply the tools. Purchase a family of dolls without gender allowing the treatment provider to identify the gender. All based on a model that says that it's important to allow the therapist to help the client identify the toys the way the child wants to view them.

The debate continues as to whether or not treatment is directive or reflective. Direct treatment processes often take an active approach to treatment. The reflective approach allows the client to lead the sessions, and the treatment provider acts as a mirror for how the client wants to proceed in treatment. The majority of models ignore the family system, focusing solely on the child. After all, the assumption is that play only works with children. It certainly doesn't apply with adults, or men. Need a tool that appeals to different races, then look at the "black" dolls, or the "hispanic dolls". The implication is that if one plays with a doll associated with one's race, then that will be more effective than a doll that doesn't. I say there is tremendous need for toys that transform issues of race or gender, while recognizing race and gender.

The skill needed to apply toys in clinical practice is dependent upon the skills of the treatment provider. So many of these toys are sold without out skill based manuals. They frequently ignore processes of which the toy is intended. I developed a play therapy technique, for treatment providers that is both innovative and creative in it's application. One search on the internet demonstrated many replications, and variations since it's origination. However the training to apply the tool is missing. A toy can be sold as an innovative play therapy technique, but without training in it's application it might as well be a toy sitting on the shelf, and there are a zillion toys sitting on shelves.

Use of anti-depressants is also a good for people who absolutely need it or it is used to treat another condition besides the OCD itself. However, people should know that even though they are taking a medicine that is supposed to help with the OCD, it's imperative to know that over time the dose will have to gradually increased and increased and that your brain will get used to these doses and keep needing more in order to stay affective, however if you take these medications and actually do the legwork that it takes to actually become OCD free, then you will be able to taper off the medicine and will be able to become OCD free and not have to take any medications at all which should be the primary goal. Plus medications cost so much these days anyway besides the fact that these medications are considered foreign in our bodes and therefore our bodes treat them as a poison. So I would recommend that if you use the medication route that you also work on the real cure for OCD which is not performing rituals and facing the anxiety that comes with not doing them.