Contamination OCD: Obsessions, Compulsions, & Treatment
By : Katherine Pica LCSW
Thanks in large part to popular culture, most people have heard of or are aware of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Unfortunately, the subtypes of OCD are less familiar. Contamination OCD is one of the many different subtypes of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Most people assume that contamination OCD is a fear of dirt and germs, but it’s actually much more than that.
Let’s dive deeper into contamination OCD, as well as the obsessions, compulsions, and treatment options for it.
What is Contamination OCD?
Contamination OCD is the type of OCD where an individual experiences obsessive thoughts over their fear of being contaminated or contracting and spreading sickness, viruses, diseases. Those with contamination OCD can also feel intense disgust and may not fear getting sick.
The Obsessions
Obsessions of OCD are the persistent and unwanted thoughts or urges that cause an individual to have stress or anxiety. Here are some of the most common obsessions or fears of contamination OCD:
Fear of getting sick get sick
Fear of death
Fear of clothes or personal objects getting contaminated
Fearful of getting coughed or sneezed on.
Fearful of getting others sick and could have prevented it.
What if I'm not alive to be there for my loved ones.
Obsessive fears about bodily fluids, cancer feces
Fear of Spoiled food
Excessive fear of food borne illness
The Compulsions
Individuals’ obsessive thoughts can lead them to have a mental or physical response or a compulsion. Individuals with OCD will use compulsions as a way to try to deal with the obsessions that they have. These are a few of the most common compulsions of contamination OCD.
Avoidance
Individuals with contamination OCD may try to avoid certain situations, people, or events they feel may be contaminated. For example, a person may avoid taking the bus or train, avoid going to certain social events, or even avoid hanging around certain friends or family members for fear of getting sick.
Extreme Research
Someone with a compulsion for extreme research may spend hours researching diseases and illnesses online. They may try to find out how a certain illness can be spread, the symptoms of diseases, and how to know if tests are completely accurate.
Performing Rituals
Performing rituals like praying or repeating phrases in their head may be done to convince themselves that they’re not sick. For example, they may repeat “I am healthy” or “I am clean” a certain number of times throughout their day.
Repetitive Actions
Some of the repetitive actions that an individual with contamination OCD may have include:
Changing clothes in order to stay clean
Constantly sterilizing items in their home or in their office
Excessive hand-washing or bathing
Using chemicals to stay clean
Using excessive hand sanitizer
Seeking Reassurance
The need for reassurance among friends and family is another huge sign of a compulsion for contamination OCD. An individual struggling with this form of OCD may want to know when the last time their loved one was sick, the last time they cleaned their home, or how fresh the food is in their home.
Treatment Options
One of the best treatment options for contamination OCD is exposure and response prevention or ERP therapy. The idea behind ERP therapy is to expose the individual to their obsessive thoughts without letting them conduct any of their compulsions. This type of therapy will help the individual not rely so heavily on their compulsions and find new ways to cope with their obsessions.
OCD treatment near me
Contamination OCD is another subtype of OCD. Some of the of the compulsions that an individual may engage in may not be visible to another person. They may choose to complete mental compulsions like repeating statements or conducting research on their own instead of acting out physically.
One of the best ways to find out if you have contamination OCD is to reach out to a mental health professional. After speaking with a licensed and trained professional, they’ll be able to work with you to determine the next steps and treatment options that are best suited for you and your needs.
We at Resilience Counseling are all trained in OCD treatment. We specialize in this and we work with OCD day in and day out. If you are interested in learning more about contamination OCD or treatment options? Reach out to us today to set up a consultation.
Author Bio: Katherine Pica OCD Therapist - San Diego, CA
Katherine Pica, Owner and Clinical Director of Resilience Counseling. Katherine has been practicing since 2007 for over 17 years! Currently, Katherine supervises all of the employees at Resilience Counseling. Trained in ERP for OCD and EMDR for Trauma. Katherine brings years of experience working with OCD to near you.
