Love and Doubt: 5 Things to Know About Relationship OCD This Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day can feel like a lot. We’re told love should feel like The Notebook with big feelings and rain-soaked make-out sessions. Or maybe like Jerry Maguire, where someone looks at you and says, “You complete me,” and that’s it.

No doubts. No spiraling. No wondering if you’re overthinking things. Just total clarity and certainty.

But maybe Valentine’s Day doesn’t feel like that for you. Maybe you’re feeling butterflies or nerves, or comparing yourself to Hollywood love stories. But you might also be noticing something more intense: intrusive, persistent doubts about your relationship that feel impossible to turn off. This goes beyond the occasional “Is this person the one?” question that pops up now and then. These thoughts feel repetitive, distressing, and consuming. This is called Relationship Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (ROCD).

What is Relationship OCD?

Relationship OCD is a form of OCD where the mind gets stuck on uncertainty related to love and relationships. Instead of doubts coming and going, they loop.

You might find yourself constantly analyzing your feelings, checking for signs that the relationship is “right,” or asking your partner for reassurance that they will never leave you. You might feel relief for a moment, but the doubt comes right back and you find yourself analyzing, checking, and seeking reassurance again. 

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. We work with many clients who experience Relationship OCD. It doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you or your relationship. It means your brain is doing what OCD does: latching onto something deeply meaningful and demanding answers.

Valentine’s Day, with all its focus on love and relationships, can be a helpful moment to pause and better understand Relationship OCD. Here are five things to know:

1. Relationship OCD really is OCD. 

Relationship OCD is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder.  At its core, OCD is when your brain demands 100% certainty on something important, like health, safety, or personal values, and won't let go until you get it. Most people can handle a little doubt and move on, but with OCD, not knowing for sure feels unbearable.

ROCD is just OCD showing up in your love life. 

The tricky part is that it often goes unrecognized, partially because it doesn’t look like the version of OCD most of us see in movies or on TV. It’s not about excessive cleaning, counting, or checking locks. Instead, the obsessions revolve around doubts about your feelings, your partner’s feelings, or whether the relationship is “right.”

The compulsions, like checking your own emotions, seeking repeated reassurance, or comparing your relationship to others, are all attempts to get that certainty. Underneath, it’s the same OCD mechanism that can show up in other areas of life.

Because it doesn’t fit the stereotype, lots of people struggle with ROCD silently, and don’t know that it’s treatable (see #5).

2. Doubt feels intense and won’t go away on its own.

In ROCD, doubts don’t just pop up and disappear, they repeat over and over again. 

You may find yourself thinking:

• “Do I really love him?”

• “Is this the right relationship?”

• “What if she’s not attracted to me anymore?”

•  “Maybe they are getting bored and are going to leave me for someone else.”

• “We don’t go on as many dates as my friend and her boyfriend. There must be something wrong with our relationship. ”

  
  

Many people experience these thoughts as passing wonderings, but in ROCD they stick. They loop. They demand attention. And they create significant anxiety that pushes you to do something to make them stop.  

3. The compulsions feel helpful, but they actually fuel anxiety.

When the brain is desperate for certainty, doubts often lead to compulsive behaviors that try to prove that everything is “okay.” These behaviors make a lot of sense! They’re the brain’s attempt to feel safer and more certain in the moment.

But even though they feel helpful at first, they actually fuel OCD. 

You might:

• Repeatedly ask your partner, “Do you love me?” or “Are you happy with our relationship?”

• Read through old text messages looking for proof that they care

• Ask your best friend (again) what they really think of your partner.

• Check your own feelings to see if they feel “strong enough” or “right”

• Compare your relationship to others and look for signs that yours doesn’t fall short

  
  

In the short term, these behaviors work. They quiet the thought, reduce the anxiety, and make you feel a little better, but that relief doesn't last.

Here’s how it works:

Each time you respond to a doubt with a compulsion, you teach your brain that the only way to feel better is to analyze, check, or seek reassurance. So the next time the thought pops up, of course you feel compelled to do it all over again. What works in the moment actually keeps the OCD cycle alive.

4. It doesn’t mean your relationship is "toxic."

One of the hardest parts of ROCD is that the relationship itself may be loving, supportive, and stable. And yet you feel overwhelmed by constant internal doubt. This can be confusing and frustrating for you and your partner.

But ROCD isn't a reflection of the relationship or of your feelings; it’s the brain reacting strongly to uncertainty around something deeply meaningful, like love.

Research and clinical experience tell us that ROCD can and does appear even in healthy, committed relationships. It’s not about a lack of love or commitment. It’s about the way the brain tries (and fails) to create complete certainty in an area where some doubt is normal and unavoidable (despite what rom-coms tell us). 

5. So what helps? Enter: Exposure and Response Prevention.

Although ROCD isn’t currently listed as a separate diagnosis, it’s recognized as a pattern of OCD. The most well-supported treatment for OCD is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy that helps people face uncertainty, fear, and doubt without engaging in compulsions.

A core idea behind ERP is that you don’t need to resolve the doubt to feel okay. Instead of trying to completely eliminate uncertainty, you gradually learn to tolerate it. In ROCD, this might mean allowing a feared thought like,“Do I really love my partner?” to be present without seeking reassurance, checking texts, or mentally analyzing your feelings.

Your ERP therapist might guide you to notice the doubt, rate the anxiety you feel, and intentionally resist compulsions. Instead, you might use grounding or mindfulness strategies to stay present while the anxiety rises and eventually falls on its own.

Over time, this helps you break free from the OCD cycle. You’ll relate differently to anxiety and doubt, freeing up more mental space to enjoy your relationship and the rest of your life. 

Pretty cool right? Probably sounds a bit scary too. And yeah, at first this can be uncomfortable. It’s important to know that ERP is done gradually and collaboratively. You’re not thrown into the deep end without floaties and expected to swim on the first day. We start small, get some wins under our belt, and then tackle harder goals. 

OCD Therapy in NYC

If you’re ready to learn more, start practicing these strategies in your own relationship, or want support navigating ROCD, our team offers Exposure and Response Prevention therapy for OCD in NYC. You can  Meet Our Team or  Contact Us to learn more.