Types of OCD: Are There Variations of the Condition?
What constitutes a “normal” thought? It’s considered normal to have thoughts of fear or doubt when entering a new relationship. It’s normal to think about the weather and if it will be difficult to drive. These thoughts are considered mundane – everyone has them.
But what happens when these thoughts are amplified? You constantly ask your new partner if he loves you, and even begin questioning if your feelings are right about him. Instead of worrying about the weather, you think about your car rolling down into a deep ditch. These thoughts plague you, consuming you with fear and worry.
This is the difference OCD makes. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 12.5% of adults ages 18 and older had regular feelings of worry, nervousness, or anxiety this past year. Many of these worries and fears can spark from unwanted intrusive thoughts.
As a leading provider of mental health care, Clean Recovery Centers is here to tell you OCD thoughts happen. Each type comes with a different set of thoughts surrounding different themes. Let’s talk about the types of OCD and how they vary from one another.
Breaking Down OCD: Exploring Its Many Faces
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a complex mental health condition characterized by unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or rituals (compulsions) performed to alleviate the distress caused by these thoughts. While often generalized as an obsession with cleanliness or organization, obsessions and compulsions can present in different categories.
Some individuals experience higher levels of fear of contamination, while others feel an overwhelming need for symmetry or balance. These variations are often grouped into subtypes, highlighting the diversity of the condition. Let’s talk about the many faces of OCD, exploring each unique presentation.
Harm OCD: When Fear Turns to Intrusive Thoughts
Harm OCD is characterized by intrusive, often horrifying thoughts about causing harm to oneself or others. These thoughts can be violent or aggressive, even if the person has no history or intent of acting on them. The fear of possibly acting on these thoughts leads to guilt and concern about a character flaw when these thoughts are simply characteristic of OCD.
Avoidant behaviors are common such as avoiding knives or refusing to drive a car. They might also engage in mental rituals, such as repeatedly reassuring themselves they are not dangerous and replacing the bad thoughts with positive ones. It’s crucial to understand that these fears and thoughts do not reflect the person’s true intentions, and seeking treatment for OCD can help silence them.
Relationship OCD: Love, Doubt, and Uncertainty
In Relationship OCD (ROCD), obsessive thoughts center around romantic relationships. Though it is normal to have doubts when in a relationship, those with ROCD may question their feelings for their partner or obsess over whether their partner loves them enough. These doubts often lead to reassurance-seeking, recalling good experiences, monitoring their own feelings, and comparing them to other relationships around them.
ROCD can present in two different ways: partner-focused and relationship-centered. Partner-focused OCD consists of obsessing over the characteristics of your partner. These can be physical, social, or personality attributes. Most obsessions focus on the negative, with the compulsion being to “fix” the problem.
Relationship-centered OCD focuses on how “right” the relationship feels. The obsessive thoughts often revolve around the person’s feelings, how their partner feels about them, and if all feelings are true. The thoughts may trigger feelings of doubt about the relationship, continuing the obsessive thoughts.
Symmetry and Order OCD: The Need for Perfect Balance
For those with Symmetry and Order OCD, everything has a place and must be in it at all times. This subtype involves the need for symmetry and order in the organization of physical objects, daily routines, or even abstract concepts. Examples of compulsions can include:
- Aligning objects until they are perfectly straight and evenly spaced
- Repeating actions such as tapping the counter a specific amount of times
- Organizing items in a specific order, such as arranging pillows by size and color
Symmetry and Order OCD can be time-consuming and exhausting, making it difficult to focus on other aspects of life. Completing daily tasks and maintaining job and relationship obligations becomes difficult, worsening mental health.
Contamination OCD: Fighting Germs and Cleanliness Fears
Contamination OCD is one of the most recognized subtypes, notably seen as an obsession with germs or cleanliness. However, it is far more complex than a fear of getting sick. Individuals with Contamination OCD may worry about:
- Physical contamination from dirt, germs, or chemicals
- Mental contamination, such as feeling “dirty” after being around a person or place associated with negative experiences
Compulsions often include excessive cleaning, handwashing, and avoiding public places. Some people may even refuse to touch certain objects or wear gloves in daily life. While these behaviors temporarily relieve anxiety, they can also lead to isolation and significant disruptions in daily routines. These can cause OCD and mental health to worsen.
Hoarding OCD: When Letting Go Feels Impossible
Those living with Hoarding OCD experience intense anxiety at the thought of discarding items, even those with little or no value. This fear is often rooted in specific obsessions. One is worrying that throwing something away might result in regret or disaster. The other is believing that an item holds sentimental or irreplaceable importance, even when it doesn’t.
Hoarding disorder and Hoarding OCD are two separate conditions. To be diagnosed with Hoarding OCD, the person must meet all three criteria:
- The person collects and keeps a lot of items, even things that appear useless or of little value to most people, and
- These items clutter the living spaces and keep the person from using their rooms as they were intended, and
- These items cause distress or problems in day-to-day activities.
Taboo Thoughts: Intrusive Ideas Nobody Talks About
One of the most misunderstood aspects of OCD involves taboo intrusive thoughts. These can include violent, sexual, or religious ideas that do not line up with the individual’s values and identity. Examples include committing incest, acting violently toward a family member, or fear of committing blasphemy in religious contexts.
These thoughts are not part of the person’s natural desires or intentions but are instead random, intrusive ideas that become repeated in the mind. The more they try to suppress or dismiss these thoughts, the more persistent and distressing they become.
Taboo thoughts are often met with compulsions including reassurance-seeking, avoidance, and mental rituals. Those experiencing taboo thoughts were also more likely to seek treatment.
OCD Types vs. Specifiers: Understanding the Differences
When discussing OCD, it’s important to distinguish between types and specifiers. The types of OCD like the ones mentioned above, describe specific themes of obsessions and compulsions. However, OCD is not officially categorized into types in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Instead, these categories help medical and mental health professionals understand the varied presentations of the disorder.
Specifiers are formal terms used in diagnosis to describe specific features of the person’s OCD. The DSM-5 uses the following specifiers for OCD:
- With good or fair insight: The person understands that their obsessions and compulsions are irrational or excessive
- With poor insight: The person has some belief that their obsessive thoughts are likely true
- With absent insight/delusional beliefs: The person fully believes their obsessions are justified, even after being presented with evidence to the contrary.
Specifiers help determine the severity of OCD while types give medical providers a specific area of patterns for proper treatment methods.
Getting Help for OCD in Hillsborough County, FL
The different types of OCD can significantly impact your daily life, creating strain in relationships and missing out on important events. However, treatment for OCD offers tools to help you navigate these difficulties and reduce anxiety and stress. Through therapies, developing coping strategies, and exploring medications, the symptoms of OCD can gradually diminish, allowing you to regain balance and focus on your future.
Whether you or someone you love is living with OCD, it’s important to remember that help is available. Clean Recovery Centers offers the right combination of therapy, support, and, medication, so you can reclaim your livelihood and find relief from the grip of OCD. With locations along the Suncoast, we ease the burden of accessing treatment options. Telehealth options are also available for OCD care. Call us today at (888) 330-2532 to learn more about our mental health programs.
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