Obsessive compulsive cleaners are compelled to clean, spending hours every day in ritualized activities that offer only temporary relief, leaving them prisoners of their own behavior, while alienating them from friends and loved ones.
People with contamination OCD may spend a lot of time cleaning of household items or other inanimate objects. For example, someone with this type of OCD may wash their shoes, credit cards, cell phone, or other things that may have come into contact with as these items may be considered dirty or contaminated.
Approximately 16% of all patients with OCD suffer from some form of washing compulsion, which is manifested by frequent long and ritualised compulsive hand washings up to 50–100 times daily [2].
For example, a person with OCD may spend 2-3 hours every day in the shower, and several more hours hand washing, or washing clothes, food and household items. Their anxiety may not only be that they are dirty themselves, but that they may infect others, contaminate foodstuffs and so forth.
Mild OCD can look like regular OCD but to a lesser intensity, such as: Washing your hands after certain food prep. Counting the number of times you may step/walk in the home. Some hoarding behaviors such as keeping specific types of items.
Some people with OCD do have compulsions around cleanliness and order. However, this is not a diagnostic requirement nor the only way OCD manifests. It's important to acknowledge this because people living with OCD who aren't focused on cleaning might find it difficult to look for and accept their diagnosis.
The bottom line
OCD can manifest in four main ways: contamination/washing, doubt/checking, ordering/arranging, and unacceptable/taboo thoughts. Obsessions and compulsions that revolve about contamination and germs are the most common type of OCD, but OCD can cover a wide range of topics.
Common compulsive behaviors in OCD include:
Repeatedly checking in on loved ones to make sure they're safe. Counting, tapping, repeating certain words, or doing other senseless things to reduce anxiety. Spending a lot of time washing or cleaning. Ordering or arranging things “just so”.
Withdrawing from family and friends because of obsessions with contamination. Avoiding physical intimacy with a partner out of fear of germs, religious impurity, or intrusive violent thoughts. Being late for social events because too much time is spent checking stoves, locks, or light switches.
Because symptoms usually worsen with age, people may have difficulty remembering when OCD began, but can sometimes recall when they first noticed that the symptoms were disrupting their lives. As you may already know, the symptoms of OCD include the following: Unwanted or upsetting doubts.
What's considered messy? A messy house refers to disorganized clutter that isn't damaging to someone's health. For example, if you have empty water cups, papers scattered, toys out and laundry in the lounge then it's a bit of a mess. But, if there are stains, mould, or bad odours in the house then it is dirty.
People struggling with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) are often misdiagnosed as having other psychological conditions. One of the most common misdiagnoses for this population is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This diagnostic problem arises for two reasons.
The main symptoms of OCD are obsessions and compulsions that interfere with normal activities. For example, symptoms may often prevent you from getting to work on time. Or you may have trouble getting ready for bed in a reasonable amount of time.
The mnemonic of “The Three C's” (Catching, Checking, and Changing) can be particularly helpful to children in learning this process. To engage children in treatment, therapists often frame the therapy experience as “becoming a detective” to investigate their thinking.
What causes OCD? Experts aren't sure of the exact cause of OCD. Genetics, brain abnormalities, and the environment are thought to play a role. It often starts in the teens or early adulthood.
While both mental health conditions involve repetitive worrying, people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often engage in unwanted and repetitive behavior in response to their worry. People with anxiety, however, tend to overthink their worry, but don't act in specific responsive manners.
OCD symptoms include obsessions, compulsions, or both. An obsession is an uncontrollable thought or fear that causes stress. A compulsion is a ritual or action that someone repeats a lot. Compulsions may offer some relief, but only for a little while.
Schizophrenia is a complex chronic mental health condition that can be confused with OCD. There are several symptoms that must be present for a schizophrenia diagnosis, but the three primary symptoms are: hallucinations. delusions.
If you are experiencing repetitive, unwanted thoughts, or feel compelled to carry out certain behaviours, such as checking for perceived danger or organising items in a set way, it may be that you are suffering from OCD.
There is no brain imaging or blood test that can diagnose OCD. But your doctor may want to perform further tests to rule out any possible physical conditions. Initially, it can be hard to tell the difference between OCD and other mental disorders, like anxiety, because of overlapping symptoms.