Trigger warning: this article discusses a clinical mental disorder.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is, like the name suggests, characterized by obsessions known as intrusive thoughts and compulsions that are carried out in order to relieve the anxiety arising from the obsessions.
What are the Subtypes of OCD?
OCD symptoms are most often manifested and experienced within four main categories –
- Cleaning and Contamination
This category of OCD is characterized by constant worry over germs or sickness. It leads to the person actively working to avoid places and surfaces that could cause any sort of contamination as the person is worried about feeling unclean or even dirty – both physically and mentally. As a result, the person is also found to get rid of items that are dirty or unclean and wash hands and clean excessively.
- Symmetry and Ordering
This category of OCD is characterized by needing items to be organized and aligned in certain ways. The person could seek symmetry in organizing items or in doing actions. Compulsions include rearranging things multiple times and repeating until it feels right.
- Forbidden, Harmful, or Taboo Thoughts & Impulses
Such thoughts may be sexual or violent in nature. In that sense, the person may likely experience guilt or shame for having those thoughts and impulses in the first place. They may include worries of harming yourself or others around you. It may lead the person to question things quite often and even engage in compulsions such as hiding certain items in order to avoid acting on the impulses.
- Hoarding
This could be characterized by a worry that throwing away an item may lead to harm – whether to yourself or someone else. It also includes the fear of throwing away very important things by accident. In general, it is very difficult to get rid of things and also easy to often buy more of the same thing.