If you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you’re likely familiar with how symptoms can ebb and flow, especially during major life changes. Starting college is an exciting milestone for many students, but it can also bring new challenges in managing OCD, particularly if you’ve moved away from your support system. On the other hand, you might be noticing OCD symptoms for the first time as you navigate unfamiliar academic and social pressures. Either way, college provides the perfect opportunity to explore diagnosis and treatment.
Whether you’ve already received an OCD diagnosis, or are starting to suspect you have the condition, know that it’s possible to thrive in college while managing your symptoms. In fact, developing coping skills can help you build confidence and prepare you to handle triggers and stressors in college and beyond.
Keep reading to discover effective strategies for managing OCD as a college student.
How does OCD affect college students?
College life can be a lot of fun, but it can also be overwhelming. Increased stress, changes in routine, and new responsibilities can all worsen OCD symptoms. For some students, this new chapter may be the first time they experience intrusive thoughts or compulsive behaviors. For others, symptoms they’ve managed for years may resurface or intensify due to academic pressure, navigating new relationships, or being away from home.
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All our therapists are licensed and trained in exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), the gold standard treatment for OCD.
Tips for handling OCD in college
Here are some practical ways to manage your OCD symptoms throughout college:
Seek professional help and digital support early on
Whether you’ve already been diagnosed with OCD or are just beginning your treatment journey, there’s never a “wrong” time to start therapy. Whether you’re in crisis or engaging in relapse prevention, it can be helpful to connect with mental health resources at your school as early as possible. The sooner you find on-campus and online resources, the more support you’ll have as you navigate the ins and outs of college.
Ultimately, OCD is best managed with exposure and response prevention (ERP). In ERP, you work one-on-one with a therapist who will gradually expose you to your triggers while teaching you how to respond to them without engaging in compulsions. ERP can be challenging, but over time, you build resilience and develop a toolkit you can use when new stressors enter your life.
In addition to ERP therapy, consider joining an on-campus mental health support group, as knowing you’re not alone can be helpful. Other students may offer advice about resources or ways to manage symptoms.
If on-campus support groups are unavailable, give virtual groups a try. At NOCD, we offer several free online support groups for our Members. We host groups for specific subtypes, such as just right (perfectionism) OCD, religious (scrupulosity) OCD, and relationship OCD, as well as common obsessions like sexual content, harm, and taboo themes.
Practice self-care
Self-care is necessary in every aspect of your life, but especially during college. While performing well in school and having a social life are important, you also need to take care of your mental and physical well-being to help keep your OCD symptoms under control.
Below are some tips for practicing self-care while managing OCD symptoms in college:
- Get enough sleep
More than 50% of college students get less than seven hours of sleep each night, less than the recommended amount by the National Sleep Foundation for young adults. Sleep deprivation leaves you tired and can affect your ability to pay attention in class, potentially hurting your academic performance.
Some people with OCD may notice their symptoms get worse at night, which could lead to fewer hours of sleep. If intrusive thoughts and compulsions affect your sleep, use the tools learned in ERP to accept uncertainty and tolerate discomfort, stick to a regular sleep schedule, and avoid screen time before bed.
- Eat a balanced diet
As a college student, it’s common to snack on a bag of chips during a late-night study session or skip breakfast to make it to class on time. But if you have OCD, these typical, though not-so-healthy habits can be further complicated with time-consuming compulsions that may interfere with remembering to eat, or fears about contamination, choking, or vomiting, which can also make eating difficult.
If OCD and college life are affecting your eating habits, try setting timers to remind yourself to eat at the dining hall or set aside time each week to prep your meals in your dorm or apartment. If you continue to struggle with your eating habits, consider reaching out to a primary care physician and contacting your ERP therapist.
- Have a plan in place for tough days
OCD can sometimes be overwhelming, especially during highly stressful times like exams or major transitions. With this in mind, preparing before your symptoms get worse is helpful.
Speak with your therapist or a trusted adult about what you’ll do when symptoms get worse or you feel like you’re in crisis. Who will you call or text (without seeking reassurance)? What mental health resources are available online or on campus? Having a plan in place means you won’t have to figure it out at the moment.
- Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is being fully present and aware of your experiences—senses, thoughts, and feelings—without reacting or judging them. Research suggests that mindfulness-based interventions may play a large role in managing OCD, especially in highly stressful situations that tend to exacerbate your symptoms. Mindfulness practices can complement your ERP therapy to manage your symptoms.
Mindfulness can be integrated into several aspects of your college life. For example, if your school’s fitness center offers yoga or meditation, consider signing up for classes.
You can also try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique, which can be helpful for mental compulsions like rumination or self-reassurance. This exercise involves naming things you can see, hear, smell, and taste around you to bring you back to the present moment when you’re feeling anxious or stressed.
- Exercise
Aerobic exercises like jogging, swimming, or cycling can help reduce stress, improve mood, and may even help reduce your OCD symptoms. While it’s recommended that you get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day, it’s best to listen to your body.
Track your symptoms
As a college student with OCD, your symptoms may shift over time, and what may have worked last semester might not be as effective during finals week, a move to a new dorm, or a rough patch with friends. That’s why it’s important to keep tabs on your symptoms. Doing this lets you notice patterns, track progress, and determine your triggers.
Given how busy and unpredictable college life is, it’s okay not to track every detail. Just occasional notes in your journal or smartphone app can give you insights into what’s working and what’s not.
Here are some examples of what you can track:
- Intrusive thoughts or rumination that interfere with your studying or social life.
- Unhealthy coping mechanisms (e.g., excessive caffeine use, drug or alcohol use, or skipping meals).
- Sleep issues tied to OCD (like anxiety before bed or rituals that keep you awake).
- Compulsive behaviors like cleaning, counting, or checking.
Bottom line
OCD may make college life a bit more challenging, but you don’t have to let it take complete control. With ERP therapy, a strong support system, and healthy habits, you can manage your symptoms and make the most out of your college years. If you haven’t already, connect with a therapist specializing in OCD and ERP to learn effective tools to break the OCD cycle so you can focus on what matters the most to you.
Key takeaways
- OCD symptoms often shift during college, but with the right support, it’s possible to thrive both academically and socially.
- Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy is the preferred treatment for managing OCD and building long-term resilience.
- Prioritizing self-care, like sleep, nutrition, exercise, and mindfulness, can help reduce the impact of OCD on daily life.
- Tracking symptoms over time can reveal helpful patterns and make it easier to adjust your coping strategies when needed.
