1. Watch for Repetition of Certain Acts
The most basic test for determining whether someone might have obsessive-compulsive disorder is to watch closely for repeated acts. Hand-washing is common, but mental repetition, such as counting or reciting the alphabet, is also compulsive and many people may count or say the alphabet out loud.
2. Test for Anxiety Disorders
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a type of anxiety disorder and it may manifest itself in another way. If you suspect that you or a loved one suffers from OCD, consider having a test done for anxiety. Since having obsessive-compulsive disorder can in fact cause as much anxiety as whatever the disorder is intended to solve, you may well be suffering from both a generalized anxiety disorder as well as OCD.
3. Undergo an In-Depth Interview
Obsessive-compulsive disorder can be hard to diagnose, since people often have an anxiety disorder that is more obvious. Getting a diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive requires an extended interview to uncover particular behaviors you're driven to repeat or an obsession that drives you to perform certain acts. This interview must also test whether or not you have certain thoughts that keep coming up regardless of how hard you try to suppress them. Once the interview is complete, the psychologist will then cross-reference your symptoms against the conditions mentioned in the "Fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" to determine whether you test positive for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
4. Take an Online Test
You can access free self-assessment tests based on symptoms mentioned by the
"Fourth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" at the Anxiety Disorders Association of America and Mental Health Today websites, among others. While these tests are not as thorough as those given by a professional psychologist, they may help to convince you or a loved one that a professional evaluation is necessary.
