The Truth About OCD and Memory

Why do people with OCD check the same thing over and over? Most assume it's because they have poor memory, but research by Guirrieri, Gambini, Pescini, Mastrogiacomo, Russomanno, and Marazitti offers insight that memory impairment may not actually be the issue.

In this video, discover how people with OCD actually have perfectly normal memory function, yet struggle with something entirely different: memory confidence. Learn about a phenomenon called "Memory Distrust Syndrome" and why the more someone checks, the less certain they become.

You'll discover:

  • The real reason behind repetitive checking behaviors

  • How working memory gets "overloaded" in people with OCD

  • Why traditional memory focused treatments miss the mark

  • Approaches that target trust instead of memory

  • What this means for families, friends, and treatment providers

Based on comprehensive research review published in Brain Sciences, 2025

Gurrieri, R., Gambini, M., Pescini, E., Mastrogiacomo, D., Russomanno, G., & Marazziti, D. (2025). Memory Functions in Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder. Brain Sciences, 15(5), 492.