Who Is Most Likely to Get OCD?

The people most likely to get OCD are those with a close relative who has it, and OCD usually starts in childhood or early adulthood. Still, almost anyone can develop it. In a large US survey, about 2 in 100 adults had OCD at some point in life, and about 1 in 100 in a given year (Ruscio, 2010).

Does OCD run in families?

Yes, OCD clusters in families, and most of that family risk appears to be genetic rather than learned at home. That doesn’t make it destiny. It means the vulnerability can be inherited. There’s no evidence that parenting style alone causes OCD. If you want the longer version, see whether you’re born with OCD and why some people get OCD.

What kind of person tends to develop OCD?

In my practice, OCD tends to take hold in people who care a great deal about doing right and being safe: conscientious, responsible, morally serious and sensitive to uncertainty. Then it turns exactly that care against them. It’s like a roof: show me the strongest part of the roof, and I can show you where the weakest part is.

That’s why the shame lands so hard. OCD aims at exactly what you value, whether that’s your faith, as in scrupulosity, or the people you love, as in harm OCD. More on that in why shame keeps OCD hidden.

At what age are you most likely to get OCD?

OCD most often starts in one of two windows: around age 11, or in the early twenties around 23 (Taylor, 2011). It can begin in early childhood, and it can also emerge later in adulthood, often after a stressful period, a major life change, illness, or pregnancy and new parenthood, as in postpartum OCD. Stress doesn’t cause OCD, but in someone already vulnerable it can set it off. More on timing in what age OCD usually starts.

Whatever your fears are about, the treatment is the same: Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).

Frequently asked questions

If my parent has OCD, will I get it?

Not necessarily. Having a close relative with OCD raises the odds, and family risk is largely genetic (Mataix-Cols, 2013). Raised odds aren’t a forecast for any one person.

Can you develop OCD as an adult?

Yes. One of the two common onset windows is the early twenties, around 23 (Taylor, 2011), and OCD can also start later. In my practice, a later start often follows a stressful period or a big life change, like a new baby.

Can children get OCD?

Yes. The earlier of the two common onset windows centres on about age 11, and about three in four cases fall in that early-onset group (Taylor, 2011). It can begin even younger.