Like Fortune Telling OCD, this subtype of OCD is actually a form of mental compulsion that many people suffering from OCD utilize in order to minimize the stress, anxiety, doubt, fear, or disgust caused by obsessions (intrusive thoughts). Mind reading is really considered to be a cognitive distortion (skewed ways of perceiving reality that cause anxiety, fear, or depression). Often times people that engage in Mind Reading are doing so because they assume people are judging them or thinking negatively about them. This can happen even without any proof that this is actually occurring. Other forms of mental compulsions that would be included within Mind Reading include trying to figure out what other people are thinking about you, thinking that you already know how someone will respond to you, or trying to read someone’s mind to minimize your anxiety about how you feel around them. It is not uncommon for individuals engaging in Mind Reading to also suffer from Social Anxiety. The most common compulsive behavior of Social Anxiety is avoidance of people and social events that trigger feelings of anxiety.
