One afternoon, while scrolling through Instagram, I came across a reel where someone straightened a tilted doormat, aligned shoes kept slightly apart, and wiped a kitchen counter because something felt “out of place.” The reel was with the caption: “The OCD in me.”

In the comments, people repeated the same line: “So relatable, I do this too,” and “I also have OCD.”

At first glance, it feels harmless. But the ease with which we use the phrase “I have OCD” made me pause. What many people label as OCD is simply a preference for neatness or organization not a disorder. OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) involves intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviours or mental acts (compulsions) performed to reduce distress, often consuming significant time and impairing daily functioning. But when we casually attach diagnostic labels to everyday habits, we blur the line between normal........

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