OCD Therapy Going Nowhere?

Although any medical doctor can take your blood pressure, only a few can do heart surgery. Likewise, any therapist can help someone who is feeling a bit blue, but only a few can effectively treat OCD. OCD treatment is a type of therapy that requires a specialized protocol called Exposure and Ritual Prevention (ERP or EX/RP). Learn about the Top Mistakes Made by OCD Therapists.

Top Seven Myths About OCD

One stereotype is that people with OCD are neat and tidy to a fault. Actually, nothing could be further from the truth. Although many people with OCD wash because they are concerned about dirt and germs, being tidy is actually not a typical symptom of the disorder. Almost two-thirds of people with OCD are also hoarders... Learn more about the Top Myths about OCD.

Homosexual Fears in OCD

Sexuality Concerns in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

There are many people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who have sexual obsessions surrounding homosexuality. Homosexuality anxiety is a recognized symptom of OCD, sometimes referred to as "HOCD."

HOCD includes the following:

  • the obsessive fear of being or becoming homosexual
  • the experience of intrusive, unwanted mental images of homosexual behavior, and/or
  • the obsessive fear that others may believe one is homosexual.

A person may have only one of these facets of the disorder or a combination. Learn more about sexual obsessions in OCD.

Take The OCD Self Test

The OCI-R is a short, reliable, scientific test of common obsessive-compulsive symptoms. This measure was developed by OCD experts. Take our OCD Self Test.

About Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Miscellaneous Obsessions

  • Need to know or remember (e.g. if hears part of some information, the person needs to hear the rest)
  • Fear of saying certain things
  • Fear of not saying just the right thing (e.g. need to be perfectly understood)
  • Fear of losing things
  • Lucky and/or unlucky numbers (i.e. that 4 is good and 13 is bad)
  • Colors with special significance (i.e. red is bad because of the devil, etc.)
  • Superstitious fears (e.g. can't step on a crack)
  • Fear that one already has terrible illness or disease

Unusual Obsessions

  • Excessive concern with body part of aspect of appearance (not weight related)
  • Bothered by certain sounds or noises
  • Intrusive (non-violent) images (i.e. cartoons, faces, clouds)
  • Intrusive nonsense sounds, words, or music
  • Losing one's personality or positive qualities