The Different Types of OCD

There are five main types of OCD based on the symptoms that most commonly appear in sufferers. Over 6 million Americans are likely to experience any of these five types of OCD in their lifetimes, or if not the disorder itself, its symptoms.

These types of OCD are not exclusive; that is, a person may suffer from a combination of these traits.

Types of OCD – Washers & Cleaners
Sufferers of this type of OCD have an obsession with contamination. Their irrational fear of being contaminated by germs leads them to compulsively avoid or remove all possible contaminants.

Their obsessions have to do with germs, viruses, and dirt that put them in danger of getting some disease. As such, they're in constant fear of becoming infected and infecting others.

While washers may repeatedly wash their hands and/or shower, cleaners wash and rewash their clothes and repeatedly clean their houses several times each day. They repeatedly clean surfaces and objects in their home, never feeling safe or clean enough from contaminants.

Types of OCD – Checkers
These OCD sufferers are compelled to repeatedly check locks and switches around the house or office. They live in constant fear that door or window locks or switches on appliances haven't been closed or turned off.

The irrational fear that their failure to lock or switch something off will cause harm to themselves and others leads them to constantly check and recheck the objects of their obsession.

Checkers often picture terrifying catastrophes taking place in which they're to blame. This leads them to come up with elaborate rituals, which are time-consuming and hinder them from completing daily tasks.

Types of OCD – Orderers
These OCD sufferers are obsessed with fixing things a certain "correct" way. Before even beginning a daily task, they must organize things to "perfect" order. They simply can't focus or begin unless they give in to the impulse to fix things the "right" way.

If someone else tries to touch, move, rearrange, or disarrange the things they fixed, orderers feel extreme distress.

Types of OCD – Hoarders
The objects that hoarders collect are mostly useless items that most people would consider as garbage. Or they can hoard relatively useful items, like matchbooks and sugar packets, but to the point where they can never hope to use all of it in their lifetime. Hoarding often results in chaotic living conditions.

Types of OCD – Obsessesers
Obsessesers often experience thoughts and images that are intrusive and show them causing others harm. They deal with these obsessions by repeated counting or saying certain words. Sufferers of this type of OCD may experience obsessions sans any observable rituals or compulsions.