Types of OCD

This page is the continuation of the page. To the overview obsessive-compulsive disorder. The obsessive thoughts and compulsive acts can have different degrees of intensity and manifest themselves in different ways.

The following forms of obsessive-compulsive disorder can occur:People who suffer from a compulsion to control feel compelled to check everything. Often these are situations (which “must” be checked) that could endanger the safety of themselves or other people. These include: Everyone of us knows the feeling of wondering whether, for example, you have turned off the iron.

People who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, however, cannot let go of this thought. These people feel compelled by their thoughts and impulses to check again and again to see whether something of yours has been forgotten. If the persons suffering from an OCD would not look up, pronounced fears with strong physical symptoms (trembling, palpitations, sweating etc.)

would be a possible consequence. – locking the front door

  • Electronic devices in the household that could not be switched off
  • The lights in the house. People always need order, symmetry or sequence in their lives.

Arbitrary objects are precisely and precisely ordered by the persons concerned. This behaviour is subject to strict rules which must be observed by the person concerned. These rules help the affected person to keep order in everyday life.

The behaviour is carried out until the order is perfect for them. The washing compulsion is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The affected persons feel compelled to wash their own body, or individual body parts (e.g. hands) or certain objects again and again. The affected persons “have to” touch everything they see, or very strongly avoid coming into contact with all kinds of objects.

Compulsory counting

People with my counting compulsion count all objects or generally all things they encounter in everyday life, e.g. cars, people, etc.

Verbal constraints

Those affected feel compelled to repeatedly say certain sentences, melodies or expressions out loud, or to formulate them inwardly.

Did they know…

  • The most common forms of compulsion are the compulsion to control and the compulsion to wash.
  • The majority of washing compulsions arise spontaneously. – Control compulsions usually develop over a longer period of time. – In the past, the obsessive-compulsive disorder was regarded as hardly treatable, but today most of those affected respond successfully to drug and/or psychological treatment.
  • Nevertheless, 85% of obsessive-compulsive disorders develop into a chronic clinical picture. – Reason: mostly a too late insight into the disease by the affected persons and therefore a late visit to therapists or doctors. – 50 % of those affected are largely freed from the obsessive-compulsive disorder in the long term through treatment. – Women suffer more often from washing obsessions. – Men suffer more often from compulsive control.