In today’s world, it’s common to hear phrases like, “Oh, I’m so OCD; I need everything in its place,” or “I love to clean; I’m super OCD.” While I understand that diagnoses often become slang, using a DSM diagnosis in this way can be harmful. It creates a misleading perception of the disorder and diminishes the experiences of those who genuinely live with OCD.
You can’t truly know if you have OCD without consulting a mental health professional, but there are some signs to watch for—and no, they don’t all relate to cleaning, organizing, or handwashing.
What is OCD?
OCD consists of two main components: obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts that can feel scary, strange, or inconsistent with your true self. These thoughts often lead to significant anxiety and distress. To alleviate this discomfort, individuals engage in compulsions—actions or mental rituals aimed at reducing their anxiety. Unfortunately, these compulsions only provide temporary relief, causing many to repeat them over and over as their anxiety persists.
You may have heard the term “Pure O,” which refers to purely obsessional OCD. There’s considerable debate about the validity of this label. In my view, Pure O doesn’t truly exist. If someone were to experience genuine obsessions—those intrusive and distressing thoughts—without taking any action, it wouldn’t fit the definition of OCD. People who identify as having Pure O often engage in mental compulsions, such as self-talk or reassurance, trying to counteract negative thoughts, or even avoidance. With OCD, everyone experiences both obsessions and compulsions, although the compulsions may not always be visible.
What types of OCD are there?
During my training in Exposure & Response Prevention, the gold standard for treating OCD, we used Disney World as a metaphor to understand the disorder. Just as Disney World features various parks—like Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and The Magic Kingdom—“OCD World” also has its own distinct areas. Below are some of the different "parks," or types of OCD, though this list is not exhaustive:
- Contamination OCD: a common form of OCD where people have strong fears about germs and getting sick. They might constantly worry about dirt, disease, or touching things they think are unclean. To cope, they often feel the need to wash their hands or avoid certain situations. Some people also fear that thinking about bad things can somehow make them "contaminated" by those thoughts
- Harm OCD : form of OCD where people experience persistent thoughts and worries about hurting themselves or others. These fears are usually driven by anxiety and don’t reflect a real desire to cause harm. However, those with harm OCD often feel very distressed by these intrusive thoughts and may engage in behaviors like avoiding certain situations, checking things repeatedly, researching their fears, or seeking reassurance to cope.
- Somatic OCD (aka: sensorimotor OCD) : a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder where people focus on physical sensations and bodily functions. Those with somatic OCD might have obsessions and compulsions related to blinking, breathing, heart rate, swallowing, and moving. They can also develop intense fears about how serious their condition is. For example, they might worry that not blinking enough could make them lose their ability to see. Additionally, they may excessively worry about illnesses related to these sensations or have concerns about their appearance, similar to body dysmorphia.
- Religious or moral OCD (aka: scrupulosity): a type of OCD where people experience significant doubt, anxiety, and distress about their moral beliefs or religious practices. This can include worries about whether they are performing religious rituals correctly or general concerns about their own morality.
- Symmetry OCD: is a common type of OCD where people focus intensely on order, symmetry, and exactness
- Sexual OCD: a type of OCFD where people experience unwanted and distressing sexual thoughts and behaviors. Subtypes of this include sexuality OCD, relationship OCD, and pedophilia OCD
If you’re dealing with any intrusive thoughts that are impacting your life, it’s important to seek help from a mental health professional experienced in OCD. Relief from the relentless nature of OCD is possible.
“OCD is like having a bully stuck inside your head and nobody else can see it” - Krissy McDermott
