What Is Contamination OCD? There’s More to It Than Meets the Eye…
Mikayla Rodin, MA, AMFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles, discusses a subtype of OCD called Contamination OCD, as well as sharing what the symptoms and treatment may look like for someone experiencing this condition.
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Contamination is a subtype category of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). It is defined as the fear of becoming “contaminated.” This contamination can occur in numerous ways but is typically seen when an individual has obsessive fears circulating around sticky residues, bacteria-loaded surfaces, and dirt…to name a few. The general rule of thumb is that any obsession where you feel the need to compulsively wash your hands, clean yourself or the space around you, or keep everything perfectly sterile, would fall under this subgroup of OCD. OCD does not always categorize simply, however. The list goes on and on and can be extensive for an individual suffering from Contamination OCD.