We all have doubts in different aspects of life; some doubts are bigger than others, some are temporary doubts, others that occupy us a little more, some that we solve at the moment, and others that we let pass. Still, the truth is that doubt is part of the human condition; we all have doubts.
For the person suffering from OCD, the difference is quite extensive; since obsessive doubts have other features, they are more incisive and disturbing, as well as illogical and excessive, in its character of doubt crosses a line to generate a real discomfort in the person.
The person with OCD does not generally seek to "work the doubt" consult with a friend or family member; most of them are irrational; even if the person knows that the doubt does not make sense, as a defense mechanism, he/she immediately seeks to turn it off, get it out of his/her head, evade it, resist it and suppress it in any way possible.
The way in which the person with OCD eliminates the doubt is through the use of compulsions, which consist of repetitive acts and rituals, either physical or mental, that have the objective of "annulling" that thought.
This differentiation is essential, mainly because OCD is a health condition requiring great knowledge and attention to treat.
Understanding the effect that a doubt generates in a person with OCD and differentiating it from a normal doubt is critical for the environment not to underestimate and realize what a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder is going through.
