Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that affects millions of people. This complex condition may take different forms, each with its own set of triggers and challenges. Knowledge is power when it comes to any type of diagnosis, so this article will help you understand the most common types of OCD and how to treat them.
OCD is an anxiety disorder in which a person experiences uncontrollable and irrational thoughts as well as compulsive actions meant to neutralize these thoughts. Because the symptoms can be so varied, there isn’t just one type of OCD. There are many subtypes that reflect different combinations of obsessions and compulsions. The most common types of OCD include contamination obsessions, checking compulsions, hoarding compulsions, intrusive thoughts, hyper-responsible compulsions and perfectionism compulsions. Here’s more information on each signs of OCD and how to treat them:
Contamination obsessions
Contamination obsessions are thoughts that something is contaminated. This is a common type of OCD that causes people to try to minimize germs and bacteria even when they aren’t dangerous. For example, someone with contamination obsessions may avoid using a toilet seat, touching door knobs or shaking hands because they fear they’re covered in germs that could make other people sick. Contamination obsessions are common among people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) because they’re afraid of what other people think about them.
They may also have irrational fears about germs or the spread of disease. People with contamination OCD have an intense fear of contracting an illness from others or from an environment that has been exposed to bacteria. While germs are normal and unavoidable, people with OCD can’t let go of their fears and find little relief from their compulsions. Contamination OCD is usually treated with medication or therapy. While medication can help reduce anxiety, therapy is the best way to overcome OCD. During therapy, a therapist helps a person confront their fears and test out their compulsions to retrain their brains so they can fight their compulsions without medication.
Checking compulsions
People with checking compulsions perform routine actions to neutralize a fear or a thought. For example, they might check the stove 15 times to make sure it’s turned off or check their bank balance to prove they have enough money in the account. Controlling thoughts and OCD are common among people with health anxieties. They may repeatedly check their blood pressure or other health-related metrics as a way of managing their anxiety. For example, a person with high blood pressure who has a health anxiety may repeatedly check their blood pressure to make sure it’s stable.
People with OCD may also have a compulsion to control their environment. This could be anything from controlling the temperature of their house to counting the items in their car. They may also have a compulsion to arrange items in a certain order or to have everything be “just right.” Because checking is often a response to an emotional trigger, it’s important to identify what’s behind these compulsions. Once you know your triggers and you can understand why you feel compelled to perform these actions, therapy can help you retrain your brain to break the pattern.
Hoarding compulsions
People with hoarding compulsions have an intense desire to collect items that most people wouldn’t want. They may collect so many items that they can’t use their living space and run the risk of having rodents or pests infest their belongings. Hoarding can be a symptom of other disorders, but it’s most commonly a compulsion associated with OCD.
People with hoarding compulsions might feel compelled to save items they don’t need. When they start to fill up their space with these items, they have trouble getting rid of them, even if they have no use for them. Hoarding is often treated with therapy, medication or a combination of both. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most common type of treatment for OCD.
Intrusive thoughts
Intrusive thoughts are thoughts that pop into people’s heads that feel unnatural and scary. For example, a person with OCD may feel a sudden urge to jump off a bridge or harm themselves. When they try to stop themselves from acting on these thoughts, they may experience extreme guilt and shame. People with OCD often have an intense fear of acting out these thoughts. A person with OCD may also have other types of unwanted and disturbing thoughts, like images of sexual acts with minors or animals.
People with OCD may try to push away these thoughts or perform compulsions to neutralize them. For example, a person with OCD who fears harming others may check the stove or the door to make sure it’s locked.
Hyper-responsible compulsions
People with hyper-responsible compulsions feel a strong urge to take responsibility for the actions of other people. They may feel compelled to apologize for actions they weren’t involved in or take on tasks that aren’t their responsibility. People with OCD may feel a strong urge to take responsibility for mishaps they weren’t involved in. They might feel compelled to apologize for traffic accidents they didn’t cause or take on tasks that don’t belong to them.
Hoarding is often a compulsion associated with OCD. People with OCD may feel a compulsion to take responsibility for the misdeeds of others and take on tasks that aren’t their responsibility. It’s important to seek help if you have these compulsions.
Perfectionism compulsions
People with perfectionism compulsions feel a need to do things perfectly. This can cause them to procrastinate because they want everything to be just right. People with OCD have an intense need for things to be perfect. This often shows up as a need to do things over and over again.
When a person has OCD, their compulsion to do things perfectly isn’t a choice. It’s an uncontrollable urge that they can’t ignore. People with OCD may feel compelled to go over a project again and again to make sure it’s perfect. They may also have rituals or routines that they feel they must perform perfectly.
Bottom line
When it comes to any type of mental health condition, it’s important to seek help and understand your diagnosis. The more you know about your condition, the more equipped you are to develop a treatment plan. Taking a look at an OCD test can give you a better understanding of this. The most common types of OCD and how to treat them. With the right support, you can overcome your OCD symptoms and lead a happier, healthier life.