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

Washing and cleaning rituals are the most well-known and widely recognized symptom of OCD. People with this type of OCD can be described as perpetually engaged in compulsive acts of decontamination. People who compulsively wash and clean can be divided into two groups: (a) those who are tying to prevent being harmed or spreading harm to others via contamination, and (b) those who feel discomfort or contaminated by specific substances, but are not worried about harm.

The first group of patients are usually worried about coming down with an illness or disease from contamination, which in some cases may involve responsibility for spreading contamination to others. Washing rituals are performed in an attempt to prevent this perceived danger. Individuals in the second group tend to have fewer identifiable obsessions and engage in cleaning compulsions merely to relieve the discomfort associated with feeling dirty. People with this type of OCD typically have very strong disgust reactions.

Washing Compulsions

People with contamination fears will typically engage in excessive washing in order remove dirt and germs, or just to feel clean. This often involves excessive or repeated handwashing. Handwashing may be done in a ritualized manner, where the person cleans each finger individually and sometimes even under each fingernail. It is not uncommon for people with this type of OCD to have hands that are red and chapped, and they may even bleed. Once hands are clean, the person will then carefully turn off the tap with another object, such as the towel or napkin, to avoid recontamination of the hands. Compulsive handwashers may also engage in excessive use of hand sanitizers between trips to the sink.

Excessive or ritualized showering, bathing, toothbrushing, grooming, or toilet routine

Other measures to prevent or remove contact with contaminants (i.e. wear gloves)

Cleaning Compulsions

People with contamination OCD may spend a lot of time cleaning of household items or other inanimate objects. For example, someone with this type of OCD may wash their shoes, credit cards, cell phone, or other things that may have come into contact with something that may be considered dirty or contaminated.

Avoiding Contaminats

People with contamination concerns will often go to great lengths to avoid getting dirty. They may avoid touching their shoes by pushing the heel of one shoe down with the other. They may use a sleeve or tissue to open a door knob.