I'm surprised this hasn't been answered yet... The degree of impairment in people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder really depends on the person. For some people it literally take hours out of their day, for others it could take maybe one hour or less. Most people with OCD learn what they can and can't use in their different surroundings to fulfill the compulsions. It's easier for them to get by and function in society. Other people who have more severe cases of OCD might stay home and avoid any opportunity to come in contact with anything that may cause the compulsions or out of embarrassment. For people with OCD, it's difficult to meet new environments and radical changes can increase the level of stress/anxiety, which in turn usually increases the level of compulsions. As far as relating to other people...it can be difficult for a variety of reasons. A lot of people are embarrassed about the OCD, so meeting new people or even conversing with old friends can be difficult.Family, I think, is amongst the scariest people to tell. Nobody wants to reveal their flaws, let alone a MENTAL ILLNESS. It's a scary term, and some people don't understand it. Relating to others in the literal sense is even more difficult, unless the second party has OCD or can relate to the situation. Hope this helped, and if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to ask :)