He then showers and aggressively washes his body. Rather than risk spreading the contamination by washing the clothes, Frank decides it’s safer to just dispose of them altogether. He returns home and begins to engage in several compulsions.įirst, he removes his clothes and places them in a plastic bag. He thinks to himself, “Is that blood? Did it get in my coffee? Did it get on the mug? Is it on my hands now? Is it on me? Am I going to get sick? Will I get HIV?”įrank quickly leaves the coffee shop feeling overwhelmed. Frank suddenly feels intense anxiety and starts to worry about contracting a disease. He notices a small red-colored stain on the table he is sitting at. Her hands appear chapped and sore, and a quick shopping trip has turned into a long ordeal.Įxample 2: Frank is overwhelmed by fears of contracting AIDS.įrank is drinking coffee at his local cafe. In order to relieve the doubt, Sandra ends up washing and sanitizing periodically for the next hour.
Upon leaving the restroom she still feels uncertain that her hands are completely clean. She returns to the sink and washes once more this time up to her elbows. After using the bathroom, she washes her hands aggressively for several minutes until she “feels clean.”ĭespite the thorough wash, Sandra struggles to cope with the uncertainty that her hands may remain contaminated. In an attempt to reduce her anxiety and prevent contamination, she carefully avoids contact with the door handle, toilet, and sink.
She feels intense fear and dread upon entering the restroom. The realization that she will need to use the public restroom triggers an onslaught of obsessive thoughts about germs and illness. Sandra is shopping at the grocery store and has to use the bathroom. Here are two examples of what Contamination OCD can look like:Įxample 1: A woman struggles to use a public bathroom. These intrusive thoughts cause the person serious anxiety and distress, which they try to relieve with compulsive behavior, like excessive washing or avoiding crowded spaces. Contamination OCD is a common OCD subtype in which a person obsesses over contracting an illness or spreading germs.
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