![]() The rituals or behaviours performed only provide temporary relief from the anxiety and distress – they are not carried out for pleasure or satisfaction. However this type of OCD, known as ‘pure-O’ ends with obsessions – compulsive acts are never carried out.Īlthough the types of OCD described here may seem very different, there are common themes between them all. People with this type of OCD may worry they will be labelled a psychopath or a paedophile or fear they may act out their impulses. As with other types of OCD, thoughts are persistant and automatic, despite the amount of disgust, guilt or shame they cause. The obsessions are usually completely out of character and involve physically harming loved ones, e.g. Violence and sex: This type of OCD is probably the most disturbing to the person experiencing it. People may seek advice and reassurance from others to reduce their anxiety about their thoughts. Again the relief is temporary and the rituals have to be repeated. They may feel guilt and anxiety about these thoughts and repeat prayers or phrases until they feel they have done enough to restore their faith. Religion and moral issues: Obsessions may come in the form of anti-religious thoughts, which can be particularly upsetting to people who consider themselves to be religious. People often feel attached to objects and hoard them to avoid the distress of separation. The thought of getting rid of these things may be distressing to individuals with this type of OCD as they believe items are particularly important or may be needed in the future. Hoarding and collecting: OCD can also come in the form of hoarding and collecting useless things that most people would throw away, e.g. They may spend excessive amounts of time rearranging objects and may feel great distress if things are moved. ![]() ![]() Order and symmetry: People with obsessions about having things in a particular order feel that their actions will stop something terrible happening to them or their loved ones. People may also worry that friends and family may be harmed by their actions and may keep checking that they are ok. Again, the actions provide temporary relief as one check is not enough. Some people will keep checking over and over again until it feels right while others will have a set number of times that something must be checked. The anxiety comes from feeling that you are responsible for any disastrous events that occur because you failed to check things properly. People worry about not checking they have locked doors and windows before going out or turned off appliances such as the oven. However, the relief this provides is short-lived and the behaviour is carried out repeatedly.Ĭhecking and safety: This type of OCD can best be described by “What if…?”. People with this type of OCD constantly fear that they or those around them will become ill from touching contaminated surfaces, and the only way to relieve this fear is to wash themselves or clean their surroundings. Some of the most common categories are:Ĭontamination and illness: The fear of touching things which are perceived to be dirty or contaminated which results in ritualistic and obsessive hand-washing, showering or cleaning. OCD can be categorised into different types depending on the nature of the thoughts and behaviours that the person is experiencing. Symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) This can be particularly true of men who often feel the need to ‘be strong’ and therefore ignore their OCD symptoms for as long as possible. ![]() People with OCD often feel guilty, shameful or embarrassed about their thoughts and actions and therefore may be secretive about them and not seek the help they need. Although everyone experiences distressing thoughts from time to time, when daily life becomes punctuated by obsessions and compulsions, OCD is diagnosed. Thoughts like these are called ‘obsessions’, and sufferers may feel their anxieties can only be relieved by carrying out a particular ritual (a compulsion), often many times. People with OCD experience anxiety or distress from persistent thoughts and ideas which pop up in their heads automatically and seem impossible for them to ignore. ![]()
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