You chose carefully, and the feeling that something better exists still comes back.
Why does every choice feel like it could have been better?
Wanting good outcomes is not the problem. Reflect on doubt about the best choice, comparing, redoing, regret, and reassurance seeking over the past month, then see a free first reading of your answers. “Optimization OCD” is an informal name, and this self-check cannot diagnose OCD.
- Words for the doubt that follows your choices
- Six areas linked to real situations from the past month
- A starting point for support or assessment
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The part of decision doubt that others may not see
You reread reviews, redo the task, or ask again, and the relief does not last.
Small decisions take hours, and big ones get put off.
You may recognize several of these experiences, one, or none. Caring about good choices is not a diagnosis, and a doubt about a choice is not proof that the choice was wrong.
02
Six perspectives on doubt about the best choice
Doubt about the best choice
Unwanted doubt that a choice, plan, purchase, relationship, or path was not the best possible one, even when it is working.
Comparing and researching
Comparing options, reading reviews, and building lists or spreadsheets over and over to find the single best choice.
Redoing and fine-tuning
Redoing, restarting, or adjusting tasks, routines, and setups until they feel exactly right or fully optimized.
Reviewing past choices and regret
Going back over past decisions in your mind and imagining the better path you might have taken.
Seeking reassurance and certainty
Asking others, polling people, or checking reviews and online opinions to feel certain a choice is the right one.
Decision paralysis and its cost
Putting off or avoiding decisions, and the time, money, energy, and closeness that the search for the best option costs.
03
From recurring doubt to a clearer next step
Describe what happens
Answer 48 original questions about how often these experiences happened in the past month and 14 unscored questions about your context and needs.
Read your free preview
See which descriptions fit your answers more closely and which fit less well.
Choose useful detail
Use the free help information or choose the optional paid report for a fuller explanation and support conversation.
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Information you can use beyond the result page
A six-area profile that separates doubt, the responses that follow, and their cost
Answer evidence alongside daily impact, context, and uncertainty
Plain language for explaining the pattern and questions for an OCD-informed clinician
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Who this reflection is for
- You are an adult answering about your own experience.
- You want to understand recurring doubt about choices, comparing, or redoing, whether you are curious, unsure, or already seeking support.
- If you are worried about a child or teenager, speak with a professional who works with young people; this self-check is for your own adult experience.
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Original questions with transparent boundaries
48 questions form six descriptive scores; 14 context answers personalize the interpretation without changing the scores. The questionnaire is not the Y-BOCS, the DOCS, or the OCI-R, and it cannot diagnose OCD, assess risk, or tell you which choice is right. OCD is diagnosed by a qualified clinician, who can also discuss treatment options such as exposure and response prevention (ERP).
62 questions · 6 areas · About 8–12 minutes
07
Questions before you begin
What is optimization OCD?
“Optimization OCD” is an informal name used online, not a formal diagnosis or an official OCD subtype. People use it for OCD in which unwanted doubt centers on whether a choice, plan, routine, purchase, relationship, career, or even their own way of thinking is the best possible one. They may respond by comparing, researching, redoing, mentally reviewing, or seeking reassurance, and the relief does not last. A clinician considers these experiences as part of an OCD assessment, alongside other possible explanations.
Is this an OCD diagnosis or a Y-BOCS score?
No. It uses 48 original reflection questions across six descriptive areas and 14 unscored context questions. It does not reproduce or score the Y-BOCS, the DOCS, the OCI-R, or any other clinical scale, and it cannot tell you whether you have OCD. A qualified clinician makes that assessment.
How is this different from perfectionism or being a “maximizer”?
Having high standards, or preferring to look for the best option rather than the first acceptable one, is a common decision style and not a disorder; many people who decide this way feel fine about it. The questions here focus on doubt that feels unwanted, keeps returning after a decision is made, and drives comparing, redoing, or asking that brings only brief relief and takes up real time. Perfectionism can appear with or without OCD, and a clinician can help tell them apart.
Could this be anxiety or ADHD overthinking instead?
It could be, or more than one thing can be present. Generalized anxiety often involves worry that moves across many everyday concerns. ADHD can make decisions hard through difficulties with attention, prioritizing, and getting started, and low mood can make every choice feel heavy. In OCD, the doubt tends to stay stuck on whether something is exactly right, and the responses to it keep the loop going. This questionnaire cannot tell these apart; a clinician can consider them together.
What kind of help is used for OCD?
Exposure and response prevention (ERP), a form of cognitive behavioral therapy, is the evidence-based psychological treatment for OCD, and medication is sometimes used as well. ERP should be planned with a therapist trained in treating OCD. This report does not deliver ERP or decide which treatment is right for you; it can help you prepare questions to ask a professional.
Is the test free, and do I need the paid report to get help?
The questions and initial preview are free. You can choose a paid full report to read online and download as a PDF. You never need to buy a report to contact a clinician or read the free help information.