If you’re living with other people, it’s in your best interest to get along with them. Otherwise, your home might feel more like a prison. Reddit user Remote-Jello-967 , a Jewish woman in her 40s, shared how a simple religious tradition turned into an unexpected source of conflict. She wanted to put up a mezuzah—a small case with a scroll that’s customarily mounted by the front door—and while her roommate initially agreed, after she saw it tilted on the wall (instead of straight), things escalated fast.
This woman wanted to add a small sign of her faith by the door, but her roommate couldn’t bear it
Mezuzah on doorframe representing Jewish traditions triggering woman’s OCD in shared living space.
Text explaining Jewish traditions causing roommate’s OCD trigger in a discussion about living with an OCD roommate.
Alt text: Woman freaks out over roommate’s Jewish traditions, triggering her OCD and causing conflict about the mezuzah placement.
Text about a woman explaining Jewish traditions to her roommate who is triggered by OCD over the setup.
Woman with long dark hair frustrated and yelling indoors, expressing distress triggered by roommate’s Jewish traditions and OCD.
Text excerpt about roommate conflict over Jewish traditions triggering OCD, highlighting woman’s emotional reaction and OCD struggles.
Text excerpt about roommate filling wall holes triggers OCD related to woman’s reaction to Jewish traditions.
Text discussing conflict between a woman and her roommate over Jewish traditions triggering her OCD.
OCD can make your life difficult or even miserable, but there are ways to fight it
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a condition in which you have frequent unwanted thoughts and sensations (obsessions), which can lead you to perform repetitive behaviors (compulsions).
For example, someone might be overly fearful of getting contaminated by germs, so to ease their anxiety, they wash their hands over and over again, even when they’re sore and chapped.
Whether you are aware of your obsessions and compulsions or not, they can take up a great deal of time, reduce your quality of life, and get in the way of your daily routines and responsibilities.
Symmetry OCD in particular centers around the desire for balance and order. It might involve needing to arrange items “ just right ” or feeling like both sides of the body have to move the same way.
It’s difficult to judge the Redditor’s roommate without fully understanding her case, but if she’s being honest, at least some sympathy is warranted. These aren’t simply habits or preferences we’re talking about—they’re responses to deep discomfort that won’t ease up until the compulsion is performed.
It’s not uncommon for people with symmetry OCD to recognize that these patterns don’t make logical sense, but they are still driven to repeat them.
According to research, symmetry OCD is relatively widespread. A 2021 study of a thousand people with OCD showed that about 86.8% of them had symmetry-related symptoms.
Frequent obsessions in symmetry OCD include:
- strong urges to make things symmetrical or aligned
- discomfort or anxiety when something feels “off” or “not right”
- fear that something bad will happen if things aren’t balanced
- intrusive thoughts about numbers, shapes, or spatial arrangements
Frequent compulsions in symmetry OCD can be:
- arranging or aligning objects until they feel “perfect”
- touching or tapping things an equal number of times or with both hands
- stepping or walking in certain patterns (e.g., retracing steps or balancing movements)
- mentally reviewing or redoing tasks to create a sense of balance
- counting or repeating words or phrases in symmetrical patterns
Treatment for symmetry OCD is the same as for other OCD subtypes: the most effective approaches typically include therapy and medication; however, they need time to have a therapeutic effect, and not everyone responds the same way.
As her story went viral, the woman provided more context
Screenshot of a Reddit conversation about Jewish traditions triggering OCD and tension between roommates discussing Ashkenazi heritage.
Reddit conversation about woman with OCD triggered by roommate’s Jewish traditions, discussing communication and misunderstandings.
Comment explaining Jewish traditions triggering roommate’s OCD and the need for compromise between them.
Conversation about roommate’s Jewish traditions triggering OCD, focusing on halachic mezuza placement inside the doorway.
Screenshot of a Reddit conversation discussing a woman’s OCD triggered by roommate’s Jewish traditions involving a menorah.
Screenshot of a Reddit conversation about maintenance costs and paint matching issues in a rental property.
Most people said the woman did nothing wrong
Text comment on a forum discussing OCD and reactions to Jewish traditions triggering obsessive behavior.
Text post discussing extreme OCD triggered by roommate’s Jewish traditions and urging tolerance despite challenges.
Text post discussing how accommodating others can worsen OCD symptoms, relating to triggered reactions from Jewish traditions.
Screenshot of online comment discussing roommate’s OCD and Jewish traditions triggering frustration in shared living situation.
Screenshot of an online comment discussing a roommate’s Jewish traditions triggering OCD and urging to put up the mezuzah.
Reddit comment discussing a woman triggered by roommate’s Jewish traditions and OCD, debating responsibility and understanding.
Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing a woman’s OCD triggered by roommate’s Jewish traditions and mezuzot angles.
Comment on a forum post about a woman freaking out over roommate’s Jewish traditions triggering her OCD and responsibility to manage it.
Screenshot of an online comment debating a woman freaking out over roommate’s Jewish traditions triggering her OCD.
Reddit comment discussing roommate’s OCD reaction to Jewish traditions and personal responsibility in managing symptoms.
Text comment discussing OCD treatment and medication in response to a woman upset over roommate’s Jewish traditions triggering her OCD.
Screenshot of an online comment discussing a woman’s reaction to roommate’s Jewish traditions triggering her OCD.
Comment discussing a woman’s OCD triggered by roommate’s Jewish traditions and her struggle to cope with it.
Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing a woman with OCD struggling to live harmoniously with her roommate’s Jewish traditions.
Comment discussing OCD and roommate’s misunderstanding of Jewish traditions triggering OCD symptoms.
User comment about differences between OCD and perfectionism, addressing a roommate’s reaction to Jewish traditions triggering OCD.
Screenshot of a Reddit comment stating a woman with OCD needs therapy, not someone breaking Jewish traditions.
Reddit comment discussing a woman triggered by roommate’s Jewish traditions due to OCD, with advice on accommodation and therapy.
Reddit comment discussing roommate’s Jewish traditions triggering OCD and handling religious artifacts respectfully.
Comment discussing conflicts over Jewish traditions and OCD triggers during holidays between roommates.
Comment discussing woman’s OCD triggering issues over roommate’s Jewish traditions and challenges with cultural respect.
Screenshot of a forum comment discussing a roommate’s Jewish traditions triggering her OCD and the resulting conflict.
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