Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Can Make You Feel Like You're Going Crazy, But You're Not Alone
If you live with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and have ever had the thought, I think I’m going crazy, you’re not alone. A lot of people with OCD have this exact feeling at some point. You might feel like this because your thoughts are so intrusive or disturbing, or because you know your behavior doesn't logically "make sense."
But living with OCD doesn't mean you're "crazy." And regardless, that label is unhelpful. In this article, we'll talk about why OCD can make you feel crazy and what to do when you feel like this.
🌵 Is OCD making you feel like you're losing it? Learn more about our 3-hour OCD intensives, for when weekly therapy no longer feels like it's enough. Take home evidence-based ERP strategies and develop a customized OCD action plan. Available in Phoenix and Glendale, AZ! 🌵
I have obsessive-compulsive disorder, and I feel like I'm going crazy!
OCD is a mental health condition that revolves around obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are intrusive thoughts, urges, or mental images that are unwanted and extremely distressing. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors you feel driven to do to reduce that distress or prevent something bad from happening.
Both of these symptoms can not only leave you feeling anxious, but can also make you feel like you're losing your mind.
Obsessions
For a lot of people with OCD, the content of the unwanted thoughts is what feels so alarming, regardless of the form of OCD you live with. You might have intrusive thoughts about harming yourself (or someone else), even if that goes completely against your values. You might have thoughts that feel shameful and seem to come out of nowhere.
These thoughts don’t just pass through your mind and leave. They tend to stick and repeat in your mind over and over again. And they often come with a strong emotional reaction, which can make them feel important or even dangerous, even though they're just meaningless thoughts.
Over time, this pattern can start to make you feel like something is seriously wrong. OCD can feel intense and confusing, which is why many people describe it as feeling like they’re going crazy.
Compulsions
Compulsions can make you feel even worse. People with OCD may repeat the same actions over and over again, even though everyone tells them that it won't help.
What’s important here is that many people with OCD already understand that their compulsive behavior doesn’t make logical sense. You might know that checking the door again won’t actually prevent something bad from happening, or that doing a counting ritual won’t change reality. But the urge to do it can still feel overwhelming.
That disconnect — knowing something doesn’t make sense while still feeling driven to do it — can be one of the most distressing parts of OCD. It can make you feel out of control and even make you question your own mind.
On top of that, compulsions tend to strengthen the OCD cycle. When you act on a compulsion, you may get short-term relief. But your brain learns that the obsession needed a response, which makes the intrusive thoughts more likely to come back. Over time, the thoughts and compulsions can become more frequent and intense.
Obsessive thoughts vs. "craziness"
First, it’s important to say this clearly — “crazy” isn’t a clinical term. It’s a judgmental label that doesn’t actually describe anything useful in mental health. Most of the time, when people talk about being "crazy," they're referring to the idea of losing touch with reality.
Not being able to differentiate what's objectively "real" and what isn't is often a sign of psychosis. Labeling people who live with psychotic disorders as "crazy" is just as harmful and stigmatizing. We like to stay away from the term "crazy" altogether when talking about mental illness.
But if you live with OCD and feel like you're "going crazy," it might help to distinguish OCD from conditions like psychosis.
Psychosis involves a loss of contact with reality. For example, someone might believe something that isn’t true in a fixed way (or delusions). Or they might see or hear things that aren't really there (hallucinations).
OCD is not psychosis. It can sometimes feel like you're having a delusion when the obsession becomes strong enough.
But people with OCD often still have insight, meaning they can recognize that their thoughts don’t fully make sense or don’t reflect reality. You might still feel compelled to respond to the thoughts and perform compulsions, but there is usually an awareness that "This doesn't make sense." That's why you're so worried about "going crazy."
You might notice thoughts like:
- This doesn’t make sense, but I can’t stop thinking about it.
- I know this fear is irrational, but it feels so real.
- I shouldn’t need to do this, but I feel like I have to. I'm going to do it just in case.
- I can't stop thinking about this. Am I losing my mind?
That internal conflict is actually a hallmark of OCD. The fact that you’re questioning your thoughts and trying to understand them by reading this article is a sign that you still have awareness of what’s real.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), a percentage of people with OCD (estimated between 13 and 36%) lack insight. But even with poor insight, you would still be diagnosed with OCD, not a psychotic disorder.
OCD can absolutely make you feel like you’re going crazy, and that's completely valid and scary. But it doesn’t mean you’ve completely lost your grip on reality. And either way, labeling anyone (including yourself) as "crazy" is unhelpful.
OCD and the fear of going crazy
Sometimes, your OCD symptoms themselves might revolve around the fear of going crazy.
You can have obsessions about anything. Some people develop obsessions about their mental state. You might worry excessively that you’re developing psychosis, or that you’ll suddenly lose control and do something completely out of character.
You might constantly monitor your thoughts and feelings, looking for signs that something is off. You might scan forums for stories of people who've developed psychosis to try to reassure yourself that you're okay.
This type of mental health anxiety can be especially convincing because it turns your attention inward, which gets you caught in a vicious cycle. The more you analyze your thoughts, the more unfamiliar and "weird" they can start to feel. That obsessive attention can feed the fear that you’re losing your mind.
But regardless of what topic it centers on, OCD is OCD. OCD about "going crazy" follows the same pattern of intrusive thoughts and compulsions, just focused on your internal experience instead of something external like contamination or safety. The distress is real, and the fear can feel urgent, but it doesn’t mean you’re actually losing touch with reality.
How ERP therapy helps reduce intrusive thoughts
Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is the gold standard treatment for OCD. It’s a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that directly targets the OCD loop of obsessions and compulsions.
ERP works by gradually exposing you to the triggers that bring up anxiety, while simultaneously helping you resist the urge to do compulsions. Often, this looks like allowing an intrusive thought to be there without trying to neutralize it, or sitting with uncertainty instead of trying to figure everything out.
At first, this can feel uncomfortable. But over time, your brain starts to learn that the thoughts aren’t dangerous and don’t need a response. The anxiety decreases on its own, and the intrusive thoughts become less powerful.
A qualified mental health professional can help you build a treatment plan based on your specific OCD symptoms. They can help you feel safe enough to engage in exposures.
In some cases, medications like antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, may also be recommended as part of treatment options.
These treatments are effective and based on decades of research. With the right support, most people with OCD are able to manage their symptoms.
Get treatment for OCD in Phoenix & Glendale, AZ
OCD can feel like it's ruining your life, especially when it starts to make you question your own mind. But it’s a condition that responds well to evidence-based care. Treatment truly does help, but it has to be the right kind.
At Thrive Therapy, we provide targeted treatment for OCD using ERP therapy and other approaches that are tailored to your needs. You can also participate in our 3-hour OCD intensives, where you'll receive targeted, evidence-based OCD intervention (including ERP and more).
We have office locations in Phoenix and Glendale, and also provide online OCD therapy throughout Arizona. Get in touch with us today to connect with a compassionate mental health professional who actually understands how OCD works.
Author: Colter Bloxom, LPC
Colter is a licensed psychotherapist and the owner and Executive Director of Thrive Therapy. He specializes in the treatment of anxiety, OCD, identity issues, and more.
