Types Of OCD And Their Presenting Features
Based on researches, there are recorded five main types of OCD. The classification of each type is based on the sufferer’s presented symptom. It is important to know, however, that these types of OCD are not limited and an individual may experience a combination of the proposed symptoms. To understand behaviors of persons afflicted with this anxiety disorder, let us get to know the sufferers better.
Washers and Cleaners: OCD individuals who have obsessions associated with contamination. People who belong to this subtype are addicted in hand washing and bathing. They wash their hands more than 20 times a day and they take a bath more than your fingers can count. That’s why they are being called “washers” and “cleaners” as they are obsessed in keeping themselves and the place around them the cleanest possible. OCD sufferers in this subtype tend to clean surfaces and areas they truly view as dirty or cluttered. Washers and cleaners never stop washing their clothes and cleaning their houses until they feel they are now free from dangers brought by germs and other microorganisms.
Checkers These OCD sufferers are bound to continually check locks and switches of their houses or working place to make sure they are closed and turned off, respectively. They are being eaten by their unreasonable dread that failing to lock or switch something off will result to harming ones self and others; checkers frequently have visions in mind of frightening disaster taking place in which they’re to blame if they do not give in to their impulses of checking and rechecking.
Orderers: OCD individuals who have obsessions associated with symmetry and order. Those who belong to this subtype have compulsions on arranging things at the right place, at the right way, at a particular angle. They are often mistaken as perfectionists as they would always want their stuffs prearranged before they begin day to day activities. Orderers always feel stressed and anxious if their things are moved or rearranged.
OCD on Hoarding Suffers under this type of OCD are observed to be socially withdrawn as they usually have less insight compared to sufferers that are under a different OCD type. Hoarders tend to be less responsive to treatment modalities especially when psychological therapy is being imposed. Their presenting symptoms include needlessly collecting things that have less value, most often those that are insignificant in a normal person’s day to day living. As illness manifestations are more severe, hoarding OCD display sufferers that have greater degree of functional global impairment.
Obsessesers Persons who are long been diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder that are said to have repeated experience of having intrusive thoughts and images that depict him or her harming others are called obsessesers. They do rituals of counting or chanting certain words to lessen their anxiety.
Lauren B. is an ex OCD sufferer who is an active member of a support group in Los Angeles.She’s been helping sufferers in different types of OCD, and have had devoted herself to campaigns in helping OCD children.
