How long has OCD been around? A quick history

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can feel like a uniquely modern condition, especially with how often people throw the term around online. But OCD has actually been around for quite some time, dating back several centuries. People have been describing intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors long before we had a name for them.

Here’s a look at how our understanding of OCD has evolved—from early descriptions to today’s evidence-based treatments.

People were describing OCD long before it was called that

• Religious texts from the 14th century describe people tormented by unwanted thoughts and driven to repeat rituals out of fear of doing something wrong. Today, we might recognize that as scrupulosity—an OCD subtype involving morality and religion.
• In the 1600s and 1700s, doctors in Europe began documenting “melancholy madness” or “doubting disease”—symptoms we now understand as obsessions and compulsions.
• But without a clear medical framework, these behaviors were often seen as signs of sin, weakness, or even possession.

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Find the right OCD therapist for you

All our therapists are licensed and trained in exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), the gold standard treatment for OCD.

Available inAny location

Insurance/Payment typeSelect insuranceOut-of-pocket

Select preferences

Find a therapist

When was OCD first recognized?

• In the 1800s, French psychiatrist Jean-Étienne Dominique Esquirol described what he called folie du doute (madness of doubt), which involved intrusive worries and compulsive checking—a pattern that looks a lot like modern OCD.
• Psychoanalysts in the early 1900s, like Sigmund Freud, thought OCD came from inner conflict or repressed impulses. Their treatments focused on talk therapy or analysis.
• It wasn’t until the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published in the 1980s, that OCD was officially recognized as a mental health condition, labeled as an “anxiety disorder.”

How OCD treatment has evolved

Once OCD was formally recognized, more effective treatments followed:

• Between the 1960s and 1980s, researchers developed a type of therapy called exposure and response prevention (ERP), which remains the most effective treatment to date.
• In the 1980s and 1990s, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) became the first medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat OCD.
• In 2013, OCD was moved to its category in the DSM-5, under Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, further acknowledging it as a distinct condition.

How our culture’s view of OCD has changed

Even though OCD is better understood today, misconceptions still linger.

• OCD used to be seen as a moral or spiritual issue—something to confess or suppress.
• Later, it was misunderstood as just a quirk or a preference for things to be clean and organized.
• Today, we know OCD involves disturbing, unwanted thoughts that cause intense anxiety, not just a desire for neatness.
• Increased media coverage and mental health advocacy have helped shine a light on what OCD actually looks like.

How to get help for OCD today

If you’re struggling with intrusive thoughts, compulsions, or doubts that just won’t go away, you’re not alone, and there’s effective, compassionate treatment available.

• ERP is a specialized form of CBT proven to be effective for OCD that involves facing your fears without performing compulsions. General CBT, if not tailored for OCD, can sometimes be unhelpful or even worsen symptoms. 
• Some people also benefit from medication, especially SSRIs, which can reduce OCD symptoms over time.
• At NOCD, you can connect with a licensed therapist who specializes in ERP and understands how OCD shows up.

Bottom line

OCD has been around in one form or another for centuries, but how we understand and treat it has come a long way. What was once mistaken for sin, madness, or personality flaws is now known to be a common, treatable mental health condition. With the right support, recovery is indeed possible.

Key takeaways

• People have described symptoms of OCD for hundreds of years, long before it had a name.
• OCD was officially recognized as a mental health condition in the 20th century.
• Treatment has evolved from traditional talk therapy to evidence-based approaches, such as ERP therapy and medication.
• Misconceptions still exist, but awareness and access to help are growing.