Hey guys

[River111111]

Hope ur all well... looking to gain understanding more about my ocd and it's subtypes... anyone have relationship ocd, sexual ocd, real-time ocd, tapping ocd, confession ocd, scrupulosity ocd and others i can't remember off the top of my head?

[deValentin]

Do you mean the same person having all those subtypes all at once? Personally, in the past, I experienced relationship OCD (my wondering about whether I was in the right relationship taking an inordinate amount of my time) and scrupulosity OCD (feeling an irresistible need to make a big deal out of objectively insignificant acts).

[River111111 in reply to deValentin]

Yes deValentin... I have them all and some others at times aswel. Yes I agree...same has been the case with me...tho the wondering if it's rocd or the wrong relationship as I've not felt seen understood or heard most of the time by my partner. So I feel like both are at play. Is it scrupulosity ocd or is it just my high morals.

[deValentin in reply to River111111]

It's indeed not always easy to determine whether it's scrupulosity ocd or high morals, whether it's OCD or a genuine concern. My method is to face reality and make a choice. Either I seek absolute certainty in a very narrow domain. The drawback is that I'll never be able to find it, and I'll lose control of my life. Or I get used to a reasonable degree of uncertainty in the domain in question (exposure and response prevention). My desire not to lose control of my life motivates me to choose the second option, which takes time and efforts, but it's worth it in the end.

[Natureloverpeace]

Diagnostically speaking, there aren’t subtypes of OCD. OCD is OCD so OCD is the diagnosis. OCD can latch onto anything a person values and that’s why its outward appearance can seem different. Think of OCD as something that can wear an infinite number of outfits. The outfits would be the subtypes or themes that OCD looks like from the outside but it’s still OCD underneath the outfit or subtype. Subtypes can be confusing because two people can have the same compulsions but what drives those may be different. For instance, two different people could compulsively clean themselves and objects but one person does it because they are afraid of catching a disease while the other person is afraid of causing harm to another person by giving them a disease. Is this contamination OCD , harm OCD, or even health anxiety? Also, two different people with the same core fear could have their OCD present itself in a variety of subtypes. This is a reason why a person’s subtypes can change or have multiple subtypes. The core fear is not the same as the presenting outward appearing fear. Not everyone’s symptoms fit neatly into a subtype. There can also be an overlap of OCD symptoms with another disorder such as PTSD. Basically, anything OCD attacks can be a subtype.

It can be very helpful for people with taboo subtypes to know that other people also have similar symptoms so they don’t feel so alone. Subtypes such as pedophile, beastiality. suicidal and gender identity subtypes come to mind.

[Coffeelove4444 in reply to Natureloverpeace]

Hi Natureloverpeace, you are correct that OCD can attack lots of subtypes. Suicidal theme was what really bothered me recently.OCD is so cruel !!

[Natureloverpeace in reply to Coffeelove4444]

It sure is cruel. It doesn’t help when mental health providers, or medical providers for that matter, don’t recognize the difference between suicidal OCD and suicidal ideation and then take inappropriate and harmful action. Another reason why OCD needs to be treated by a licensed mental health provider with specific training and education in OCD which most of them don’t have.

Good for you for speaking up about this “taboo” theme. The “taboo” themes of OCD aren’t discussed as much by those who have them for multiple reasons such as more stigma than the other themes, having inappropriate action taken against them in the past by people not recognizing the OCD. The bottom line is OCD is OCD that comes in an infinite number of flavors. The intrusive thoughts are dystonic, not syntonic. They go against their values, not with them. The people are not crazy and they don’t have ill intent. We need to get the word out.

THANKS again for bringing AWARENESS to one of the “taboo” themes. Doing this helps others to not feel so alone and may help them to seek help from an OCD Specialist.

[Coffeelove4444 in reply to Natureloverpeace]

Beautifully!said Natureloverpeace, I am currently looking for a therapist who SPECIALIZES in OCD. Some therapists say “oh yes I treat OCD But they are not really specialized. It can be frustrating.

[Natureloverpeace in reply to Coffeelove4444]

bit.ly/3tH7sHT is a link to a guide from the IOCDF on questions to ask a potential OCD Specialist before beginning treatment with them. This can help to weed out those who claim to be an OCD Specialist from those who actually are.

[Natureloverpeace in reply to Coffeelove4444]

The IOCDF has a Resource Directory which you can find under Help and Support at iocdf.org. Therapists who say they are OCD Specialists can list their names there. The IOCDF verifies their licensure but it is up to you to ask them the appropriate questions to see if they really are qualified to treat OCD. They don’t endorse anyone. Hopefully, the link I posted about questions to ask will help.

[Coffeelove4444 in reply to Natureloverpeace]

Many thanks, I will look into it . Take care.

[Natureloverpeace in reply to Coffeelove4444]

You’re welcome.

[Coffeelove4444 in reply to Natureloverpeace]

Do you find that anxiety can trigger the OCD to be more present. I am starting therapy next week with someone that is experienced with OCD.

[Natureloverpeace in reply to Coffeelove4444]

I am so glad you’re starting therapy next week with someone experienced in the field. Awesome! The OCD cycle reinforces itself. The anxiety or OCD related distressing feeling comes about from engaging with and giving meaning to an intrusive thought. It comes from not accepting the uncertainty regarding an infinite amount of “what ifs” AND recognizing that we are capable of dealing with things, even painful, distressing things. The anxiety or another distressing feeling is part of the OCD cycle. We try to get rid of or reduce the distressful feeling through mental and/or physical compulsions. We feel temporary relief which convinces us that compulsions are necessary and the only way to feel better. Doing the compulsions and feeling the temporary relief convinces us that the obsessions must be true.

I will clarify that there’s a difference between accepting uncertainty about something and being confident. There isn’t a guarantee that I won’t do X but I can be confident that I won’t because it goes against my values and I trust myself. I can differentiate my voice from the voice of OCD. We don’t always need to accept the worst case scenario.

Anxiety can be a symptom of various mental health conditions. The majority of people with OCD have at least one other mental health condition. One mental health condition can affect another one but all mental health conditions can be treated.

[Coffeelove4444 in reply to Natureloverpeace]

Thank you sooooo much for your support! You are very wise 😉

[Natureloverpeace in reply to Coffeelove4444]

You’re welcome. We’re a support community that has each other’s back and we’re a team.

[Coffeelove4444 in reply to Natureloverpeace]

👍👍

[River111111 in reply to Natureloverpeace]

That is understandable and thanku for ur views insights and thoughts. Totally agree with a few things u have said here 👍

[Natureloverpeace in reply to River111111]

You’re welcome.

[Sallyskins]

It's all OCD, no matter how you label it! And OCD is a real shape-shifter - it's a feature of OCD that one obsession or compulsion stops worrying you and another takes its place.

Getting a better understanding of OCD doesn't have to involve learning about all the subtypes. But there are a number of helpful books about OCD that give examples of various ways it manifests itself.

There are always cases of OCD that don't fall into any particular subtype. But they're still OCD, they still suck, and they're still treatable!

[River111111 in reply to Sallyskins]

Thanku sallyskins

[Ocdli]

I have ROCD and am afraid of that I cheated in the past and have forgotten althoug I know I never did. I confessed a lot but since I started therapy I stopped the confessing since that is one of the compulsions. I also obsess a lot about being 100% honest. Struggle a lot with feeling guilty.

[River111111 in reply to Ocdli]

Bless u Ocdli ...I'm so sorry that uve been suffering with all of these. I understand where ur coming from. I've questioned myself alot also... wondered if I'm being immoral finding some other people in life or on the tv attractive...wondering if I'm emotionally cheating on my partner because of it aswel as wondering if I've been havin an emotional affair because I have a deep connection with my ex who's a close friend...altho relationship ocd has been HUGE with that one but my partner has bpd and I dnt feel I've had much understanding or support from her as I've been accused of having an emotional affair by her after a load of things she's gone thru in reference to a combination of my relationship ocd combined with confession ocd and scrupulosity ocd... telling her that I need more emotional understanding from her and givin her examples of how my ex used to talk to me and how I would feel understood and calmed by her and asking my partner to be supportive using empathy and asking her over and over to please look in to me and see me as alot of the time I would have alot of comments from her telling me that I'm a liar ...even tho she knows how open and honest I am and that I also have confession ocd...so that was all so anxiety provoking and stressful and baffling to hear. I gave myself SUCH hell for it and I feel I've done well to stay on top of managing it from spiralling and calming it down. Yes I think a huge amount of guilt from my past has had alot to do with ocd...or maybe a huge thing I did in the past was caused by ocd ..I'm not sure as I was a child at the time. But I feel I have a duty to stay on top of it all as a path of redemption and staying self aware and staying so honest.