r/ROCD

64K archived posts · Oct 2012 – Sep 2026

Relationship OCD

r/ROCD

This sub aims to support those with ROCD (Relationship OCD). Individuals with this disorder exhibit obsessive-compulsive behavior surrounding romantic relationships. All are welcome, including those who know someone who is struggling. Make sure to read the rules before posting or commenting - the pinned post contains a ton of information about ROCD and resources for treatment. Feel free to reach out to mods with any questions or other issues.

Created Oct 12, 2012

29KMembers (last snapshot)

64KArchived posts

Intro to our sub

READ THIS IF YOU'RE NEW TO OUR SUB AND ROCD

Relationship Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Do not give personal advice

We take treatment seriously here. Truth is, there are healthy ways to manage OCD, and there are harmful ways. If you don't know what ERP or CBT is, do not give advice. We don't want this to be a place where people obsess and give out harmful info.

Do not give or ask for reassurance

Reassurance is when you attempt to get relief from your intrusive thoughts and anxiety. It's harmful because it makes you obsess more, and we do not allow it here.

Make sure to check out the rest of our rules and more details and ask the mod team if you have any questions.

READ THIS BEFORE POSTING ANY ADVICE

What is ROCD?

OCD is a painful disorder that involves obsessions. The sufferer gets urges to relieve the anxiety/fear generated by their obsessions by performing compulsions, which typically gives temporary relief, but makes the sufferer much worse off in the long run. ROCD is a term that describes someone who primarily suffers from relationship-related obsessions. Therefore, ROCD is simply OCD.

ROCD affects all types of relationships including romantic partners, family members, and friends. Anyone is welcome to post, we're all here to support each other so we can get through this painful disorder and enjoy our relationships and lives.

Read our wiki for helpful treatment information

Read our rules before giving anyone information or posting links to websites. Make sure to read the intro post if you're new here

How is ROCD Treated?

OCD is treated using CBT and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). See an OCD specialist for more information, and do your research to make sure they are actually teaching you CBT/ERP (unfortunately, many so-called specialists do not know how to treat OCD properly, and many go untreated under their care for years because of it). You can also talk to your doctor about medication, which can make the therapy easier to apply.

Don't try to get rid of the thoughts, and let yourself feel the anxiety; don't avoid it.
You will have compulsions (urges) to get relief, you must resist these compulsions and sit with urges, even if it feels like you have to get rid of the anxiety.

The most important part of treatment is resisting unhealthy, obsessive behavior. When you follow through with the urges, the relief will only be temporary, and you will obsessively seek it again, prolonging your anxiety and pain in the future. Treatment takes time to see results, it's important that you research CBT/ERP and get yourself to a knowledgeable and experienced specialist.

Helpful Posts

If you suffer from ROCD, take a look around at the different posts throughout the sub. You will see people going through the same thing as you. You are not alone. All of us have experienced this anxiety, confusion and pain. We are here to support each other.

Below you will find posts relating to OCD treatment. The purpose of these posts is to explain how treatment works, to convince you to research CBT/ERP further and seek an OCD specialist. If you understand how the treatment works, you may be convinced to look into it further. These posts are not meant to be definitive at all, and there is a lot of important information not included (treatment needs to be approached in a systematic way, not just resisting compulsions as they come along, and such things are not discussed below).

Links

Partners of OCD - Support sub for partners of OCD sufferers
Articles by Frederick Penzel, Ph.D
OCD Action
International OCD Foundation

Image by Tuna Dunn

Disclaimer: We are not medical professionals and therefore are unable to provide any diagnoses. Anything we share regarding treatment is not meant to be taken as medical advice. This information is there for you to personally research and discuss with your doctor.

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