Is OCD Affecting Your Job Performance? 

To begin addressing this question, we need some clarity about obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The public perception of this serious disorder is skewed — thanks to everything from memes to stand-up comedians. OCD is not a punchline and it’s much more than a preference for order and ritual. A condition like OCD involves anxiety and behaviors that can impact every part of a person’s life. This very much includes their workplace.

In the name of accuracy and support, it’s important that we better understand both the condition and the effect. From there, you can be better positioned to come up with the coping mechanisms you need to manage symptoms on and off the job.

OCD: The Basics

Perhaps the quickest way to gain an understanding of OCD is to explore the two words that make up its name.

• Obsessions: Everyone has intrusive thoughts but with OCD, they can become the source of immense anxiety. A person with OCD feels compelled to address obsessive thoughts even when they know such fears are unwarranted. That’s where compulsive actions arise.
• Compulsions: In the name of easing some of the obsession-fueled anxiety, OCD convinces people to create rituals and routines that will ostensibly protect them and possibly others. To an outsider, an OCD compulsion may be puzzling. To someone with OCD, it’s a desperate attempt to get temporary relief.

Imagine, if you will, the above factors being at play at your job. How could such dynamics not influence your work experience? Let’s take a closer look.

Is OCD Affecting Your Job Performance?

Difficulty With Executive Functioning

Your mind is already in a state of tug-of-war. Intrusive thoughts demand your attention while urgent compulsions make you believe they must be performed. On top of that internal struggle, you have work responsibilities, interactions, tasks, decisions, and more. You may lose trust in yourself to handle all of this and thus, continually ask co-workers for input. Over time, this becomes a problem for everyone involved.

Lack of Productivity

The interplay between obsessions and compulsions occupies a lot of your time and energy. If you’re someone who feels compelled to check or re-do tasks, this can eat into your job-related productivity. Not to mention, as you feel things are unraveling, you experience the need to allocate more and more time to obscuring and hiding your OCD behaviors.

Interpersonal Challenges

Most workplaces require some level of rapport among the employees. Someone struggling with OCD may be singled out and stigmatized. This hurts morale and typically only serves to worsen OCD symptoms.

Stress, Anxiety, and Low Self-Esteem

All of the above is a recipe for more mental health challenges. Anyone with an OCD diagnosis works hard to keep themselves in check. But everyone has limits as to how much strain they can handle.

Managing OCD in the Workplace

Since stress will cause your symptoms to escalate, the most fundamental choice is to develop a self-care routine. From breathing exercises to strategically timed breaks, these can be game changers. Your therapist can work with you on such options. At the same time, you will want to ask for help, e.g.

• Legal Support: OCD is a disability and, thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people with OCD disabilities are protected from discrimination. Accommodations can be made but there are factors like cost and company size that can hamper this effort. If you feel you’re being unfairly judged at work, contact a legal professional who can provide guidance.
• Personal Support: Understandably, you’d rather not share openly about OCD. But when others know what you’re going through, they can be far more accommodating and supportive.

Working with an experienced anxiety therapist is a proven way to navigate these paths and learn to manage OCD, both at work and at home. Let’s connect and talk very soon.