Index of themes
Many themes, same OCD cycle.
People often recognise themselves in a theme long before they recognise OCD. Themes overlap, shift over time, and many people have more than one.
Whatever the content, the treatment principle stays the same: face the doubt without performing the ritual. See how the loop works.
Contamination OCD
Also called: Germ OCD, Washing OCD, Mental contamination
“What if I'm contaminated and spread it to someone I love?”
Contamination OCD centers on fears of germs, illness, chemicals, bodily fluids, or a vaguer sense of being dirty or tainted. The distress can be about getting sick, passing something on, or simply not being able to tolerate the feeling of being unclean. Washing, cleaning, and avoidance bring brief relief but teach the brain that the threat was real.
Harm OCD
Also called: Violent intrusive thoughts, Aggressive obsessions, Impulsive harm fears
“What if I lose control and hurt someone, and that means I'm secretly dangerous?”
Harm OCD involves unwanted thoughts, images, or urges about hurting someone, often a person you love, or occasionally yourself. These intrusions feel shocking precisely because they clash with your values. The result is a constant effort to prove to yourself that you're safe, which only makes the thoughts more frequent and sticky.
Checking OCD
Also called: Responsibility OCD, Doubt-driven checking, Lock-and-stove OCD
“What if I didn't really lock it, and something terrible happens because of me?”
Checking OCD is driven by an inflated sense of responsibility for preventing harm, paired with persistent doubt about whether you've done enough. Locks, appliances, emails, and driving routes are checked again and again. Each check is meant to bring certainty, yet often leaves memory feeling foggier and the doubt even louder.
Relationship OCD
Also called: ROCD, Partner-focused OCD, Love doubt OCD
“What if I don't really love them, and I'm living a lie?”
Relationship OCD fixes on doubts about whether you truly love your partner, whether they're right for you, or whether the relationship is the real thing. It can also focus on a partner's perceived flaws. The more you search for a clear feeling of certainty, the more the feelings seem to slip away.
Just-Right OCD
Also called: Symmetry OCD, Ordering OCD, Not-just-right experiences
“What if this feeling of wrongness never goes away unless I fix it?”
Just-Right OCD involves a strong urge for things to feel balanced, even, ordered, or complete. The discomfort can be a vague sense that something isn't right, rather than a fear of disaster. Rituals continue until the feeling shifts, which can take a long time.
Health OCD
Also called: Illness OCD, Disease-focused OCD
“What if this symptom means something serious, and I'm the one who missed it?”
Health OCD involves persistent, intrusive fears of having, developing, or missing a serious illness. Ordinary bodily changes, like a twinge, a mark, or a skipped heartbeat, start to feel like urgent signals. Checking, searching, and seeking reassurance offer brief comfort but keep the fear circling back.
Sexual Thoughts & Orientation OCD
Also called: SO-OCD, HOCD, POCD, Sexual intrusive thoughts, Taboo thought OCD
“What if these thoughts reveal who I really am, or what I might be capable of?”
This theme covers distressing, persistent doubts and intrusive thoughts about sexuality. For some people it shows up as relentless questioning of their sexual orientation, often in a direction that doesn't match their lived experience. For others it takes the form of repugnant sexual thoughts or images, often involving children, family members, or other taboo themes. Both affect people of any orientation, both cause intense shame and fear, and both are well-recognized presentations of OCD. The thoughts do not reflect desire or indicate any risk to others; the core problem is the relentless need for certainty.
Moral and Religious OCD
Also called: Ethical OCD, Faith-based OCD, Guilt-driven OCD
“What if I've done something wrong and can never make it right?”
Moral and religious OCD fixes on being a good person or getting faith right: fears of having done wrong, sinned, or displeased a higher power. Confessing, praying, and reviewing bring only brief relief, and the search for moral or spiritual certainty never settles.
Existential OCD
Also called: Philosophical OCD, Meaning OCD, Big-questions OCD
“What if nothing is real, and I can never know for sure?”
Existential OCD involves intrusive, distressing questions about reality, consciousness, death, meaning, or the nature of the self. The questions are ones philosophers have asked for centuries, but in OCD they feel urgent and must be answered. The search for a final answer keeps the mind trapped in thought.
Real-Event OCD
Also called: Past-action OCD, Real-event guilt, Retroactive guilt OCD
“What if what I did proves I'm a terrible person who doesn't deserve to be happy?”
Real-Event OCD centers on something that actually happened, often a mistake, a regrettable choice, or an ambiguous moment. The mind replays it over and over, searching for what it really means and what it says about you. The guilt can feel overwhelming, even when the event was minor or long resolved.
False-Memory OCD
Also called: Memory OCD, Memory-doubt OCD, Imagined-event OCD
“What if I did something terrible and just don't remember it?”
False-Memory OCD involves the fear that you did something terrible and have forgotten or blocked it out. As the mind tries to check, imagined scenes can start to feel almost like memories. The more you investigate your past, the hazier and more frightening it seems.
Perinatal OCD
Also called: Postpartum OCD, Pregnancy OCD, New-parent OCD
“What if I hurt my baby, by accident or otherwise, and what does it mean that I can even think it?”
Perinatal OCD involves intrusive thoughts and compulsions that begin or intensify during pregnancy or after a baby arrives, usually centered on the baby's safety. It can affect birthing parents, partners, and adoptive parents alike. The thoughts are frightening, but they reflect deep care, not a risk to the child.