OCD and Staring: Looking at people and things obsessively

Article on staring obsessions and compulsions in OCD, whether staring at things or people.
No experiences have been shared about this topic yet.

Staring OCD can mean different things to different people. There are three ways that come to mind, one of them because I experience it.

The first is staring at things to prevent bad things happening. This can be making sure doors are locked, ovens are off and windows are closed. The more I look the less I believe my eyes, and this leads me to just staring at them for long periods of time.

Another way staring can be associated with OCD is a fear of staring at people, or being stared at. 

This might involve checking that you aren’t staring at someone, worrying about being perceived as strange, or feeling overwhelming guilt for staring.

Maybe you are terrified of being stared at and feel the need to check if this is true.

This article has been one of the most viewed articles on the site for a while now. Meaning there’s a high chance you are experiencing one of these. 

The good news is, you aren’t the only one. It seems to be a very common intrusive thought and/or compulsion.

Behind every short story is a real lived experience shared by a reader on the OCD Log. The stories are fictionalised to protect privacy while reflecting those experiences.

OCD Log
No matching OCD logs yet.
1 — Once a day or less 2 — A few times per day 3 — Several times throughout the day 4 — Most of the day 5 — Almost all day, every day

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