Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is OCD?TypesDiagnosisTreatmentNext in OCD GuideHow Is Severe OCD Treated?
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Table of Contents
What Is OCD?
Types
Diagnosis
Treatment
Next in OCD Guide
Within the disorder known as obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, are many different types of obsessions and compulsions. However, most of them can be grouped into four categories: checking, order and symmetry, contamination, and taboo thoughts.
Read on to learn more about the four most common types ofobsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), diagnosis, and treatment.
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Signs of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common, long-lastingmental health conditionthat involves disruptive, unwantedobsessions and compulsions.
Obsessionsrefer to thoughts, worries, urges, preoccupations, or mental images that are persistent, disruptive, and intrusive.
Compulsions refer to behaviors or rituals that people feel driven to repeat over and over. Usually, people participate in compulsive acts to reduce their anxiety or distress.
How Common Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?Estimates suggest that about 1.2% of adults in the U.S. meet the diagnostic criteria for OCD in a given year. OCD is more common among women than men.
How Common Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
Estimates suggest that about 1.2% of adults in the U.S. meet the diagnostic criteria for OCD in a given year. OCD is more common among women than men.
Symptoms of OCD
According to the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition” (DSM-5), someone meets the diagnostic criteria for OCD if:
Some people with OCD are not aware that their obsessions are excessive. Others know that their worries or impulses are not based on reality, but they still feel unable to control them.
4 Types of OCD
There is no single official way to divide OCD into subtypes. However, many researchers agree that there are certain common themes and symptom clusters among people with OCD.
Checking
One of the most common symptoms of OCD is compulsive checking.People with “checking OCD” may excessively check the following types of things:
Checking rituals can also be related to excessive doubts, anxiety, and a fear of losing control. There is often the fear of intentionally or unintentionally causing something bad to happen.For example, someone with OCD may not be able to leave the house for over an hour due to repeatedly checking that the stove is off in order to prevent a fire.
Order and Symmetry
Many people with OCD experience obsessions and compulsions related to order, symmetry, arranging, and counting.Symmetry-related compulsive rituals may involve:
Someone with an irrational preference for order may also become overly preoccupied with their body proportions and/or grooming habits, which can lead todisordered eatingand poor self-image. Others feel compelled to perform excessive scheduling, planning, time management, and organizing rituals.
Contamination
Fear of contaminationis one of the most common obsessive themes among people with OCD. People who fear germs and/or contamination may:
Some people with OCD also experience a fear of emotional contamination.Someone who fears emotional contamination may go out of their way to avoid people, places, or topics they see as “immoral” or “dirty.”
Ruminations or Intrusive Thoughts
Ruminationrefers to obsessive, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts around a certain theme.Rumination frequently involves taboo or forbidden topics, such as sexuality, violence, or religion.
Intrusive thoughts can take on many forms. Some include:
Others experience intrusive, graphic sexual or violent mental imagery that they consider inappropriate or disturbing.
Often, rumination is related to an underlying obsession with guilt and excessive responsibility for harm. People who experience intrusive thoughts may perform compulsive rituals in an attempt to “neutralize” the perceived threat.
For example, someone who has forbidden thoughts around religion or blasphemy may pray excessively to protect themselves or others spiritually. Someone else may count, tap, or repeat certain movements or phrases because they believe it will save someone they love from harm.
What Is Existential OCD?
Other OCD Subtypes
Researchers have identified several other possible OCD subtypes, including:
OCD and ComorbidityIt’s common for people with OCD to have more than one mental health condition. A recent review and meta-analysis found that 69% of people with OCD had at least one other mental illness over the course of their lifetime.
OCD and Comorbidity
It’s common for people with OCD to have more than one mental health condition. A recent review and meta-analysis found that 69% of people with OCD had at least one other mental illness over the course of their lifetime.
Diagnosing OCD
If you suspect you may have OCD, your healthcare provider can refer you to amental health therapist. They can diagnose you with OCD using your medical history, an understanding of your symptoms, and the criteria in the DSM-5.
Your healthcare provider may also perform a physical exam and other tests to rule out the possibility of any underlying physical conditions or comorbid mental health disorders.
Related Conditions
In the DSM-5, OCD appears under the category of “obsessive compulsive and related disorders.”OCD-related conditions within this umbrella category include:
Other conditions that are sometimes mistaken for OCD or may appear alongside it include:
OCD vs. OCPD: What Are the Differences?
How OCD Is Treated
Many people with OCD experience improvements with treatment. Studies suggest that about 50% of people with OCD will experience full remission of their symptoms after treatment. Many others are able to significantly improve their quality of life over time.
Psychotherapy is the typical first-line treatment for OCD.Many people with OCD benefit from a particular type ofcognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) known as exposure and response prevention (EX/RP) therapy. In EX/RP therapy, patients gradually learn to confront their obsessions (exposure) while resisting the urge to perform compulsions in response (response prevention).
In some cases, antidepressants may be used in combination with psychotherapy to ease OCD symptoms. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)—antidepressantsthat work to increase the level ofserotoninin the brain—have been found to be especially effective in treating people with OCD, particularly at higher dosages.
What Is Serotonin?Serotonin, or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a neurotransmitter—a chemical messenger—in the central nervous system that helps to regulate mood, emotions, memory, pain tolerance, sleep, appetite, and sexual desire.
What Is Serotonin?
Serotonin, or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a neurotransmitter—a chemical messenger—in the central nervous system that helps to regulate mood, emotions, memory, pain tolerance, sleep, appetite, and sexual desire.
What Is Exposure Therapy?
Summary
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic mental disorder that involves obsessions (intrusive, persistent, and unwanted thoughts or worries), compulsions (rituals or behaviors that one feels driven to repeat), or both.
Researchers have identified several common subtypes of OCD. OCD symptoms often fall into one of four clusters: checking, order/symmetry, germs/contamination, or rumination/intrusive thoughts. Other subtypes of OCD include hoarding and somatic obsessions.
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