Is my OCD different, & can it be treated?
OCD can manifest in a variety of ways, and it is common for people with OCD to think that their experience of OCD is different to other subtypes that they have heard of, & therefore can not be treated. Thankfully, this is not the case
Even though some manifestations of OCD are seemingly vastly different to others, the psychological mechanisms that create & maintain OCD are the same. This means that the treatment for all types of OCD are the same - even for “Pure O,” whereby compulsions only happen internally (inside our minds), rather than also externally (through interactions with our environment)
OCD Obsessions include
Being bothered by certain sounds, Contamination fears, Causing harm by accident, Causing harm to others on purpose, Existential obsessions, Fear of losing important things, Fear of saying the wrong thing, Fear of thinking the wrong thing, Moral obsessions, Intrusive nonsense sounds, words, music, Intrusive violent images, Harm obsessions, Losing one’s personality or positive qualities, Need to know obsessions, Neutral obsessions, Obsessions about obsessions, Pedophilic obsessions, Racist obsessions, Relationship obsessions, Religious obsessions, Incest obsessions, Sexual obsessions, Sexual orientation obsessions, Gender obsessions, Somatic (body-focused) obsessions, Superstitious obsessions, Magical thinking obsessions, Symmetry, counting, even/odd numbers, order, & exactness
Please note that Doctor Pointer works with all obsessions, not just those listed here
OCD Overt Compulsions include
Avoidance of people, places, objects, Checking, Excessive Research, Repeating/ redoing, Seeking reassurance from others, Washing & cleaning
This is not an exhaustive list
OCD Covert Compulsions include (there is some blurring between some of these descriptive labels)
Checking/revisiting details, Counting, Introspection, Bargaining, Mental preparation, Mental reviewing, Monitoring, Neutralising thoughts through changing/replacing them, Ordering & arranging, Rationalising, Repeating, Seeking reassurance from self, Suppressing thoughts, Social comparing, Somatic compulsions, Testing, Trying to stop thoughts, & Wishing
This is not an exhaustive list
Therapy for Existential OCD
Existential OCD can cover many different ideas, including “What if I’m not real?” “What if the world isn’t real?” “What if I’m alone and no-one else exists? “What if I’m in a dream? “If I do something will there be any consequences or am I in a simulation where nothing matters?” “What if I have imagined my life & achievements?,” & many many more. These thoughts & related experiences can be very unsettling & anxiety-provoking
Therapy for Harm OCD & Suicide OCD
Harm OCD & Suicide OCD can be related to “what if” thoughts about harming ourselves and/or others. It is very different to someone actually wanting to hurt themselves or others. It’s the fear of “What if I do hurt myself or someone else, maybe a random person, a partner, or family member? It is very scary because we can end up avoiding situations where we might get angry for fear of what we fear we might do. We avoid people generally. We may avoid certain situations where we fear we may become overcome with an urge to do something dangerous. We avoid anything that could be used as a weapon, such as a knife. When in reality, people with Harm OCD &/or Suicide OCD are the least likely to hurt themselves or others
Therapy for Pedophile-themed OCD (POCD)
POCD can lead us to feel terrible anxiety & shame. We are obsessed with thoughts such as “What if I am attracted to children? “What if I am turned on by my own children? “What if I’m a pedophile,” often accompanied with with images of a sexual nature in relation to these thoughts, & also, sometimes, groinal responses, as well. Again, it is important to note that these thoughts, images, urges, & sensations are the opposite of our values & reality (regardless of how much we might doubt that when we caught up in our OCD)
Therapy for Relationship OCD (ROCD)
Relationship OCD (ROCD) can really mess with our relationships. We can obsessive over whether we are in love with our partner, if they are in love with us, if we are feeling different about them, if they are feeling different about us, if we find them attractive, if they find us attractive, & so one. It can lead to us leaving relationships because we are so stressed out about thinking about it so much, &/or pushing the other person away with our constant questions
Therapy for False Memory OCD
False Memory OCD is where we obsess over what is a memory & what is imagined. The thoughts normally circle around “Did I do something bad (even though I have no recollection of doing it)” &/or “Did something bad happen to me & I don’t remember it?” The thoughts are often about imagining that we have done something that is bad, such as been rude, sexist, unkind, or somehow perpetrated a sex &/or otherwise violent crime towards others &/or we imagine that these crimes may have happened to us.
Therapy for Contamination OCD
Contamination OCD is where we obsess over thoughts such as “What if this plate/shoes (etc.) is contaminated? What if by touching this thing I &/or family member become ill, maybe fatally? The thoughts are often recognisable as irrational to us, & can include magical thinking where we can imagine a thing is comtaminated even though we know its not actually possible (because no-one or thing as been near it). We can also experience obsessions around having contaminating thoughts (“bad” thoughts that could contaminate “good” thoughts). These examples that our imagination is always at play, regardless of the object of our fear, regardless of our theme
Therapy for Checking OCD
Checking OCD is where we get stuck obsessing whether a door is locked, if the oven is off, if the taps are off, etc. We can spend a lot of time going trying to convince ourselves that everything is fine, but the more we do it, the more doubtful & distressed we become, often to the point where we dread going to sleep &/or leaving the house, as we get stuck checking things over & over again - often locking & unlocking things, staring at taps & sockets. We end up not sure what is real & what is imagined
Therapy for Homosexual OCD (HOCD) / Gay OCD / Sexual Orientation OCD (SO-OCD)
HOCD/ SO-OCD is where we obsess over thoughts about our sexual orientation. This is not in an open, exploratory way, but instead where we are constantly questioning what we know to be true about what & who we find sexually attractive. The more we try to test out how we emotionally & physically respond to men/women/their bodies/sexual images, the more confused we become
Therapy for Somatic OCD / Sensorimotor OCD)
Somatic OCD (sometimes called Sensorimotor OCD) describes where we become hyper-focused on particular physical sensations to the extent where we feel stuck in the experience & not able to focus on anything else. Thoughts include “I can’t stop being hyperaware of my blinking/swallowing/breathing/etc., my attention is stuck on it.” “I feel trapped by the experience, and it’s ruining my life.” “If I wasn’t so aware of these sensations, my life would be so much better.” “I can’t get away from it, and I feel desperate to break free of it, but I can’t.” “I can’t concentrate on anyone or anything, because these sensations are bugging me the whole time. My life feels ruined”
Therapy for Pure OCD
Pure OCD is often described as having obsessions in our mind, rather than an evidence of compulsions that are visible to others (overt). Most themes, other than Contamination OCD (where there is often a lot of washing & cleaning) & Checking OCD can be seen in the Pure OCD category. However, clinically, this term is not accurate, because all OCD themes will include both over & covert compulsions, even if they are not always initially obvious to the person engaging in them
Please note that Doctor Pointer works with all manifestations of OCD, not just those listed here. And you don’t have to have it all worked out, in terms of knowing your theme(s), before emailing him
“It sounds obvious, but sometimes we need to remember that, regardless of how empathic someone might be, unless they have experienced OCD, it’s not possible for them to really “get it” at an experiential level”
Doctor Pointer knows how it feels to be liberated from OCD, & wants this for you, too
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