variant-archive: Responsibility OCD (RS-OCD*): a subtype of OCD where obsessions center on the person’s sense of responsibilty- that they are either irresponsible, or they are or will be responsible for something bad happening. Those with this subtype fear that they are responsible for something that happened in the past that they couldn’t control, and/or fear that they will unintentionally be responsible for something bad happening in the future. This is far beyond any reasonable or appropriate feeling of responsibility that one may have over actual mistakes that they made, nor is it a reasonable level of caution and protectiveness; the obsessions and compulsions of RS-OCD look more like believing that thinking a bad thought about someone will cause something bad to happen to them, needing to check locks/stoves/ovens several times from fear of being responsible for harming their family, or even feeling responsible for their effects on the environment to the point that they feel compelled to impose excessive limitations on their lifestyle such as not using water or electricity or feeling immense guilt for, say, being at a party where paper plates or plastic straws are present or even avoiding going to any events due to this. People with this subtype are often excessively overprotective and cautious in order to avoid “causing something bad to happen”, and often see any bad thing that happens as being their fault. Like all subtypes of OCD, it varies in manifestation by individual and RS-OCD often overlaps with other subtypes. Blue is a color associated with responsibility, and these heavy dark blues represent the heavy feeling of responsibility and guilt seen in RS-OCD. Learn more about Responsibility OCD. *RS-OCD is a shorthand to go along with the other subtypes that have them.