Determining Which Type of OCD You Have

More than two million adults in the United States have been diagnosed with OCD. It affects men just as much as women, and most people begin seeing the signs at about 19 years old or so. Only one-third of sufferers experience symptoms in childhood, so it’s difficult for some to see the signs.

Meanwhile, there are several different subtypes of obsessive compulsive disorder, making it even more difficult to determine which kind you have. Without a doctor’s help, finding the right coping mechanisms and treatment options is virtually impossible. However, you need to know which type of doctor see in the first place, so this is an important step.

What is OCD behavior?

OCD, which stands for obsessive compulsive disorder, is a chronic mental health condition that’s characterized by repetitive behaviors and unreasonable thoughts, habits, or phobias. It’s a blanket term that describes many different subtypes, meaning there’s more than one way to experience OCD.

For example, some people have an irrational fear of germs and dirt. They’ll constantly clean or disinfect their environment, even to the point of causing excessive stress or loss. Others may be preoccupied with how their surroundings are arranged, seeking perfect symmetry as often as they can.

Those with obsessive and/or compulsive tendencies like to be in control of every situation, even when they’re in romantic relationships. Meanwhile, the disorder is caused by a wide variety of different things, from childhood abuse to unexpected trauma as an adult. It can also last for several weeks or continue throughout a person’s entire lifetime.

Thus, it’s somewhat difficult to notice OCD behaviors because they may be misunderstood as natural parts of someone’s personality. To determine whether you have it and to define which type affects you the most, you must understand the triggers.

Common triggers of obsessive compulsive disorder

According to psychologists, people experience heightened OCD behaviors when they’re triggered by internal or external stimuli. Most often, the reaction has something to do with their hidden emotions and desires. However, those stimuli can be almost anything, and they can affect each person differently depending on how they process them.

For many, these are the most common fire-starters:

• Stress or Crisis
• Pre-Existing Conditions
• Chaos and Confusion
• Environmental Changes
• Loss of Grief

Obsessive compulsion can be set off by many things, or it can run in the background like a hard-wired computer program. Moreover, it has a genetic component to it. That means you’re more likely to have OCD if someone in your family has it too.

FACT: Family members can exhibit signs of OCD without making it obvious, which is yet another reason to learn about the causes, triggers, and subtypes.

Subtypes of OCD

While many people search for “what are the four types of OCD,” there are actually five (at least). Psychologists are constantly studying the human brain to better understand the origins of obsession and compulsive behaviors. So far, they’ve been able to categorize the disorder into these unique types as follows:

#1. Contamination

This is when you’re prone to major preoccupation about cleaning, sanitizing, dusting, hand washing, bathing, etc.

#2. Checking

This is when you obsess about things like the doors being locked, emails being read, and messages being sent without error.

#3. Symmetry

This is when you can’t stand things being out of order and will continually arrange or rearrange things until they’re “just right.”

#4. Relationship

This is when you constantly ask yourself whether your partner is the right choice while fearing you’re in the wrong relationship because of it.

#5. Harm

This is when you experience intrusive fantasies about harming yourself or others, even if you don’t want to and they’re unrealistic.

There’s also the rarely discussed case of Pure OCD, which refers to a condition wherein the person has obsessive thoughts without the connected compulsions to do something about it. Note that a person diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder may or may not exhibit every behavior on this list.

How to determine which type of OCD you have

To find out whether you have OCD and to determine which subtype affects you the most, follow these three easy steps:

Step One: Look at your everyday behaviors for the signs.

You know yourself better than anyone else. Are there any things in your life that you find particularly stressful, interesting, or important? Which of those things causes you the most stress?

Step Two: See if your habits are negatively affecting your life.

Take a look at your mental and emotional health for a minute. How often do you feel overwhelmed or inadequate? Do you constantly compare yourself to others or feel terrible when you lose control?

Step Three: Seek counseling from a licensed professional.

Realize that certain things require insights from an outside source. So, get therapy for OCD if you notice triggers, experience symptoms, or have trouble figuring out which subtype affects you the most.