Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental health disorder characterized by recurring, unwanted, and intrusive thoughts, images, or urges (obsessions) that cause significant anxiety and distress. To alleviate this anxiety, individuals with OCD engage in repetitive, ritualistic behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) aimed at neutralizing the obsession or preventing some feared outcome.

There are several subtypes of OCD, each with its specific symptoms and compulsions. Here are some of the most common subtypes:

1. Contamination and cleaning OCD: This subtype involves obsessive fears of contamination and illness.

2. Checking OCD: This subtype involves obsessive fears of negligence causing harm, such as leaving the stove on, resulting in compulsive checking.

3. Symmetry and order OCD: This subtype involves an obsessive need for symmetry, exactness, and order.

4. Harm OCD: This subtype involves intrusive, violent, or aggressive thoughts and fears of causing harm to oneself or others.

5. Sexual orientation OCD: This subtype involves intrusive, unwanted thoughts or fears related to one's sexual orientation.

6. Religious OCD: This subtype involves intrusive, unwanted thoughts or fears related to religion, such as fear of blasphemy or sin.

7. Pedophilic OCD: This subtype involves intrusive, unwanted, and persistent thoughts, images, or impulses related to the fear of being or becoming a pedophile or committing sexual abuse against a child. It's essential to note that having unwanted, intrusive thoughts related to harming children does not mean that someone is a pedophile or is likely to act on those thoughts. POCD is a type of OCD and is not related to an individual's sexual orientation or interests.

This is not a comprehensive list. Common compulsions include physical checking, avoidance, mental review, and reassurance-seeking. Compulsions are performed in response to the anxiety and discomfort that accompanies unwanted obsessional content. It is common for individuals with OCD to experience feelings of shame, guilt, or embarrassment related to their obsessions and compulsions.

OCD is estimated to affect approximately 1-2% of the general population worldwide, making it a relatively common mental health disorder. OCD affects people of all ages, genders, and ethnicities, and the onset typically occurs in late adolescence or early adulthood.

With proper diagnosis and treatment, most people with OCD can manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life. Check out the amazing community found through the International OCD Foundation here.

There are several evidence-based treatments for OCD, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and medication.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is the most effective treatment for OCD and involves a structured and systematic approach to address the obsessions and compulsions that are causing distress. CBT for OCD typically includes exposure and response prevention (ERP), a form of therapy that involves gradually exposing the individual to their obsessive thoughts or situations that trigger their compulsions while preventing them from performing their compulsive behaviors. Over time, this can help to reduce the intensity and frequency of obsessions and compulsions.

Medication: Antidepressant medications, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), have been shown to be effective in reducing OCD symptoms. SSRIs work by increasing the availability of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and anxiety, in the brain.

Combining medication and CBT may be particularly effective in treating OCD, and a mental health professional along with a medical provider can help determine the best treatment approach for each individual.

Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ICBT): ICBT focuses on challenging the reasoning process that underlies OCD symptoms.

From the website: According to this approach, obsessional inferences of doubt arise as the result of a reasoning narrative characterized by an over-reliance on the imagination and a distrust of the senses. In particular, the reasoning distortions contained in obsessional narratives often camouflage the fact that there is no real basis in reality for obsessional doubt leading to a confusion between reality and imagination. As a result, obsessions are able to persist and can never be resolved with compulsions…ICBT is a promising alternative treatment option for treatment for those who have been unable to benefit from other treatments.(Learn more about ICBT here.)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): ACT aims to help individuals develop psychological flexibility, which involves learning to accept and tolerate uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations while pursuing valued goals and activities.

In the context of OCD, ACT can help individuals to develop a different relationship with their intrusive thoughts and compulsions, rather than trying to eliminate them entirely. The therapy involves teaching individuals to recognize the ways in which they may be avoiding or suppressing their thoughts and feelings, and to learn new skills and strategies to manage them more effectively.

ACT uses a range of techniques, such as mindfulness, acceptance, values clarification, and committed action, to help individuals with OCD become more accepting of their experiences and more willing to engage in activities that are meaningful to them.

Educational podcasts are a great way to reduce stigma and isolation for those who experience OCD and related Anxiety Disorders and their loved ones. Here are a few of our favorites:

Your Anxiety Toolkit with Kimberly Quinlan, LMFT.

Description: Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast delivers effective, compassionate, & science-based tools for anyone with Anxiety, OCD, Panic, and Depression.

The OCD Stories, Hosted By Stuart Ralph.

Description: The OCD Stories podcast is a show that aims to offer hope and inspiration. Host Stuart Ralph interviews some of the best minds in OCD treatment and recovery to share their advice, to both entertain and educate listeners towards a healthier life. The show was created in 2015. Since that time is has been downloaded over 5 million times globally.

FearCast Podcast with Kevin Foss, MFT.

Description: Welcome to FearCast. This is a home for people suffering with OCD and anxiety spectrum disorders and want to find a way to live better, fuller, and deeper. We can not snap our fingers to get rid of our fear and anxiety, but we can learn better ways to live along with our fear. If you're ready, let's do this together.

OCD Family Podcast with Nicole Morris, LMFT.

Description: You are not alone. We are better together. And that is why I am here to create a community of support for family members, spouses, partners, parents, adult children and chosen family of OCD Sufferers and their community.