It can include fears about illnesses, bodily fluids, and even more abstract contaminants like bad words, thoughts, or images. These intrusive thoughts cause the person serious anxiety and distress, which they try to relieve with compulsive behavior, like excessive washing or avoiding crowded spaces. Your therapist can then help you learn to restructure these thoughts in productive ways. Common Contamination OCD compulsions: Avoidance: Avoiding objects, places and people that you fear could threaten your health. It also leads to resentment and fighting, as family members feel increasingly imposed upon and their lives become limited. Mental or emotional contamination OCD is when one is triggered by gross or disturbing thoughts and they think they're mentally or emotionally contaminated from their pure state of . Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a maladaptive reaction to these ordinary but unpleasant experiences of disgust, discomfort, and unease. As with all kinds of OCD, treatment can help you manage the symptoms of contamination OCD. If they get the disease, they will resent me for ruining their life and I will live in terrible shame knowing it was all my fault. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Getting Over OCD: A 10- Step Workbook for Taking Back Your Life, jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2614194, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7691644/, sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0005789418301345, nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-when-unwanted-thoughts-take-over/index.shtml, Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Why Cleanliness Is Not Always an OCD Symptom, When You Fear Manifesting Negative Thoughts, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Screening Quiz, Podcast: NHL Goalie with OCD & Anxiety Featuring Corey Hirsch, OCD and Multiple Sclerosis (MS): What to Know, avoiding things you perceive to be dirty or contaminated, seeking reassurance from others to ensure youre not contaminated, constantly checking food and items for dirt. There is recovery though, and many have achieved it. As a result, stress can cause digestive issues. 2nd edition. Some people experience frequent intrusive thoughts about things that violate their own sense of morality and goodness. You may have heard that all people with OCD are focused on cleaning and organizing. 2005-2023 Psych Central a Red Ventures Company. This disorder can be treated with therapy, medications, and procedures that stimulate parts of your brain known to be affected by the disorder. (2013). Did You Know Anxiety Can Enhance Our Relationships? Your first port-of-call is to find a therapist with experience treating OCD. Employing mindfulness skills can be an integral part of revealing distorted thinking and compulsive urges. Read our review of the best online therapy options to find the right fit for you. Fear that someone you love will die from germs. Some dangers, like predators or harsh weather, were easy to recognize, and our ancestors evolved straightforward behaviors to manage themsuch as the fight or flight response. In the next installment, I will go over another area of contamination OCD that many find difficult to talk about, yet many OCD sufferers struggle with fear of contact with semen. Symptom dimensions in obsessive-compulsive disorder: Phenomenology and treatment outcomes with exposure and ritual prevention. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we: We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness. Fear of germs, bodily fluids, and dirt: Doctor explains contamination They're normal, relatively benign and unharmful and no more dirty than getting some orange juice on your sheets and letting it dry. Research suggests that it can affect up to 46% of people with OCD. All rights reserved. If OCD wont let you draw the line with rational thinking, then how are you supposed to choose to ever draw the line? A 2020 study also found that OCD was associated with more inflammation in the gut. The idea that all blood is dangerous because some blood can carry a virus makes resisting compulsions that much harder. WordPress Download Manager - Best Download Management Plugin, Teletherapy & Treating OCD Online During COVID-19, Co-Occurring Disorders & Related Disorders, WordPress Download Manager - Best Download Management Plugin, bodily fluids (sweat, saliva, mucus, tears, etc. This means that there is no cure. Having briefly covered this very complex topic, the next question would be what can be done about these problems? Nothing in it has to be cleaned or avoided. The two worlds may exist side-by-side like parallel universes that are never allowed to meet. OCD that focuses on germs and cleanliness is called contamination OCD. Are stressful life events causally related to the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms? Some people feel that completing these actions will neutralize a threat, make an obsessive thought stop, or relieve the anxiety that unwanted thoughts create. Your therapist then helps you practice gradually facing stressful situations both in your imagination and in real life without using your compulsions. However, this actually enables their OCD, which makes it worse. People affected by checking compulsions describe a feeling of incompleteness unless they perform certain rituals or behaviors. Try using these methods to help you manage your symptoms day to day. Beyond therapy, you also might benefit from prescription medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). A 2022 study found that people with OCD were more likely to have an imbalanced microbial biosystem in the gut, which can affect digestion. Childhood trauma isn't thought to cause OCD, but it can trigger its onset or worsen symptoms. In more extreme cases, hands may be washed up to 200 times per day. OCD contamination with feces, bodily fluids, etc. You also describe your obsessive thoughts and your compulsive behaviors to your therapist. Course and outcome of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Contamination OCD | Intrusive Thoughts Often, these unwanted thoughts involve sex, violence, or religious images. (2013). But you can just not do something. OCD includes two parts: obsessions and compulsions. OCD sufferers can feel alienated by their disorder, or even find themselves judged by others. Let us first examine the nature of obsessive contamination fears. Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Advances in diagnosis and treatment. A study of psychiatric comorbidities in irritable bowel syndrome. DOI: Purty A, et al. For example, 2015 study involving 22,084 Swedish twins indicates that two kinds of childhood trauma are particularly likely to lead to symptoms of OCD: abuse and family disruption. Its easy to see why this was such a powerful and effective system for keeping our prehistoric ancestors healthyand how, today, this system can misfire to trigger visceral and terrifying obsessive thoughts about sickness and death. Bradford MIT Press, Cambridge MA, 2011. Discomfort related to contamination and infection is universal and has deep roots in human evolutionary psychology. Here are the best ones. It is relatively weak in that everything pretty much kills it quickly (heat, cold, air, water, saliva) but if it can make it from one persons blood to another, it has a slight chance of binding to one of that persons blood cells. And, on top of all of that, just thinking about any of this can cause physical symptoms like gagging, cramping or nausea. While you might want to help them clean their house excessively or reassure them that they wont get sick, they need to learn to cope without engaging in those compulsions. We. Why is OCD more common in people with multiple sclerosis? In response to these unwanted thoughts, people with OCD may feel an intense urge to repeat certain actions. Being sick could kill you, so anything disgusting must be treated as a fatal danger. With contamination OCD, the symptoms can look like: Possibly. a red mark on a wall), Checking for blood or for cuts in the skin (on self or others), Reassurance seeking online (or elsewhere) regarding blood-borne illnesses and how they are contracted, Reassurance seeking from others that they have not come in contact with blood, Mental rituals, such as mentally retracing what could have touched what or mentally repeating reassuring statements, Scrutinizing the behavior of dentists, doctors or any other professionals who may be exposed to blood (yours or others), There are no documented cases of contracting HIV through environmental contact (i.e., touching infected blood), There are essentially only two ways to get HIV the use of shared hypodermic needles in which blood from one person is literally extracted and put into the bloodstream of another person, and unprotected sex with an infected person in which semen or vaginal secretions are essentially pushed into the bloodstream of another person through tears in the skin of the mouth, vagina, anus, or penis (other ways of contracting it include transmission from pregnant mother to fetus and transfusions of infected blood [which is no longer an issue due to testing standards]). How do we develop a capacity for uncertainty tolerance when the OCD makes it seem impossible? (2020). For example, you might experience intrusive thoughts about having diarrhea in public. Compulsions are the usual responses of sufferers to these fears. . (2019). The main family of medicines used to treat OCD is known as SSRIs (Serotonin Specific Reuptake Inhibitors). There has been some kind of accident, an act of violence, or a sickness that brought the blood out of its home in the body and into your presence. Some people with OCD benefit from using medication, but some do not. But they also faced a different category of dangers that were far harder to notice or react to: the invisible threats of poisons, parasites, and viruses. People with OCD take comfort in repetitive, irrational thoughts and urges. Washers as they are referred to are probably the most visible among those with contamination obsessions. Changes in the stool and oropharyngeal microbiome in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental health issue in which the person suffering from it experiences unwanted intrusive thoughts and engages in repeated behaviors aimed at getting certainty that the thoughts won't come true. Blood pours out, not in. Disgust is a feeling, and like all feelings, it cannot be relied upon for factual information about danger. There are practically no limits to the things that can be contaminating. Sometimes the usual washing or showering may even be part of the magical ritual. SSRIs would have to be prescribed by a doctor or psychiatrist. International OCD Foundation | OCD and Contamination Kelly, Daniel. Answering that question requires a deeper look into what OCD is and why some people with OCD are compelled to clean. During DBS, doctors implant electrodes in targeted areas of your brain. Non-Violent Harm OCD. Bodily Fluid Contamination. OCD is not so much an amusement as it is a private hell. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. Contamination OCD is a common form of OCD. Whats the outlook for people with OCD-related cleaning compulsions? OCD begins for people to obtain appropriate treatment. A monozygotic twin difference study. Further, washing just sends the message to the brain that getting stuff off your hands is an important thing to focus on. Contamination OCD: . Your personal temperament can also be a contributing factor for developing OCD. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): Symptoms, causes, and treatment In fact, some people might experience one OCD theme or multiple themes, and those themes can change over time. These are called OCD themes.. Both are treatable. Watching someone close to you in distress can cause you distress, too. avoiding handshakes in case someone has a cut on their finger), Avoidance of things that could be confused with blood (red paint, etc. People who have an obsessive fear of blood contamination often focus as much on the fear of spreading harm to a loved one as on being contaminated themselves. Therapeutic encounters are like small experiments to test patients theories about the dangers of their particular type of contamination. There may also be a clean car which can only be driven when clean. Is heightened disgust propensity truly a risk factor for contamination-related obsessive-compulsive disorder? Other times people need long-term treatment to keep symptoms in check. However, a common obsession is the idea that germs will infiltrate your immune system and make you ill. A common compulsion is to wash your hands excessively to avoid spreading germs. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) doesnt distinguish between different types of OCD, which is why contamination OCD isnt a diagnosis in itself. What about shaking hands when you meet someone? Counting may also be part of a washing ritual to ensure that it has been done long enough period, or a certain number of times. The belief here is that these names, images, concepts, or the characteristics of certain people can be magically transferred, simply by thinking about them or by coming into casual contact with them. Those individuals genetically predisposed to recognize contaminating objects and strongly experience the disgust affect thus had an evolutionary advantage, and would pass their inherent disgust sensitivity (as well as health and cleanliness strategies) to their children. When someone you love has contamination OCD, your instinct might be to help them avoid dirt and germs so that they dont feel distressed. Driving me a bit crazy I've never had OCD contamination fears this bad. Does that mean you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)? But when OCD puts all the focus on dangerous, all of lifes other qualities become obscured. When confronted with something offensive, they adopted behaviors such as flaring nostrils, curling lips, and stepping backavoiding the danger and visually signaling others to avoid it as well. Psych Central only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. Basic self-care, like sleeping adequately and eating a balanced diet, can be helpful. That said, many people develop OCD for no clear reason. Moody TD, et al. They also concentrate on learning to accept that there will always be a certain amount of risk in life that can never be eliminated, and that life can still be enjoyed and lived freely in spite of this fact. Your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant to reduce your OCD symptoms. Real event OCD is a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder that centers around an event in your life. They can be every bit as disabling as the items on the previous list. They could also include doubt about whether something is really clean. 10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_516_18, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519704/table/ch3.t13/, mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354438, nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/index.shtml, ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/obsessive-compulsive-disorder, 10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_518_18, 10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_521_18, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4331096/, How to Manage and Treat Real Event Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Understanding the Impact of Severe Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), No, Youre Not So OCD for Washing Your Hands More Often Now, Understanding the Connection Between Depression and OCD, Everything You Need to Know About Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Glycemic Index: What It Is and How to Use It, feel disgust or fear over certain objects or substances, including dirt, illness, body secretions, trash, or chemicals, believe you or others can be contaminated by magical or spiritual means such as by saying certain names or numbers, have a strong urge to wash your hands or shower frequently, use a very specific process or ritual for washing yourself or your surroundings, avoid places or people that may have been infected, refuse to allow others into your safe spaces, damage your skin or body through excessive cleaning, experience serious anxiety if certain things are not arranged just right, feel an urge to repeat what happens to one side of your body on the other side of your body, fear that if something is unbalanced or uneven, a catastrophe could happen. Many people are surprised to learn that children can have OCD too. (2020). DOI: Moreira PS, et al. Contamination- or health-related OCD is associated with persistent worries about one's health or the health of loved ones. If you are diagnosed early and you participate in a treatment program consistently, its possible youll be able have a good quality of life. Ekman, Paul. Understanding OCD and Cleaning - Healthline It is common for people with OCD to experience guilt. So, the urge to do compulsions continues to go up over time while the obsessive fear of blood never abates (and actually worsens over the same period of time). Exposure and response prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A review and new directions. When a person comes in contact with something they feel is contaminated, they have an opportunity to stop and take a look at what is going on inside. Research suggests that it can affect up to 46% of people with OCD. Contamination from germs, bodily fluids, chemicals, dirt, and environmental pollutants is an extremely common obsession. Anything could make you sick, so everything should be treated as a possible source of contamination. In the end, only acceptance of some level of uncertainty will allow the OCD to be diminished. All kinds of OCD, including contamination OCD, are categorized as the same disorder as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Researchers continue to explore the influence of genetics on whether someone develops OCD. Its not a thing. These triggers can gradually become more challenging. Domnech L, et al. The chain of thought typically goes something like this: I must be certain that I did not get any blood on me. This removal of the unwanted becomes something the brain naturally gravitates toward more and more through a process called negative reinforcement. Traditionally, germs have been the focus of attention when it comes to contamination obsessions, with the emphasis on health anxiety and fears of getting ill or causing others to get ill. People fear blood because they associate it with being sick, contagious, unlovable, incapable of being around others, ashamed and rejected from society. Though it's commonly associated with illness and germs, contamination OCD can cause obsessive fear of a variety of contaminants, including: Blood Bodily fluids like saliva, sweat, tears, or mucus Bodily excretions like urine or fecal matter Garbage Mold Chemicals Semen Radioactive chemicals or fluids Household chemicals or cleaning supplies The 2 Most Psychologically Incisive Films of 2022, The Surprising Role of Empathy in Traumatic Bonding. When it comes to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), preoccupations differ from person to person: one person might have obsessions around car accidents, another might have obsessions around fires or natural disasters, while others might have obsessions about germs and cleanliness.
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