OCD Subtype:
Existential
Existential OCD is characterized by obsessions related to the nature of reality, the meaning of existence, and life’s purpose. While it’s normal to wonder about these topics from time to time, people with existential OCD feel a compulsive need to find certainty and resolve these unanswerable questions. This mental searching often leads to anxiety, confusion, and a sense of disconnection rather than clarity. What starts as philosophical curiosity becomes an exhausting and repetitive loop of doubt, fueled by OCD’s demand for 100% certainty where none exists.
Existential OCD can show up like:
How do i know this is real?
What if life has no meaning?
How do I know the things I feel are my own real feelings, or that my thoughts are my own real thoughts?
The answer has to exist somewhere, I just need to find it.
Is this actually happening or is it all just in my mind?
Is this really me? How do I know? What makes me, me, and how do I know I am who I think I am?
Common Existential Obsessions
Questions revolving around the meaning and purpose of life, the existence of the universe, or even one’s own existence.
Feeling detached and disconnected from your body, surroundings and others.
Questioning everything from the world around you, to the purpose of life, to reality itself .
Thinking about questions which cannot possibly be answered.
Spending hours analyzing why you are having particular thoughts and trying to figure out what these thoughts mean.
Common Existential Compulsions
Ongoing questioning of the meaning of life, reality, etc.
Distracting yourself from thoughts or pushing them away.
Extensive research and examination of philosophical subjects.
Asking others what they believe or how they “know” what is real.
Checking your reflection in the mirror, tapping objects, or repeating phrases in your head.
Avoiding media, conversations or people that trigger existential doubt.
Done Trying to Solve The Mystery of Existence?
The drive to “figure it all out” can feel overwhelming—pulling you into endless loops of fear, doubt, and analysis. But with the right treatment, you can step out of that cycle and reconnect with the here and now.
Find peace in not knowing, and joy in the present moment—once you're no longer compelled to chase answers to questions that were never meant to be solved.