Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is more than just being “neat” or “particular.” Living with OCD can feel overwhelming, confusing, and at times very isolating. Many people with OCD struggle in silence, believing that their intrusive thoughts or compulsive behaviours say something about who they are as a person. In reality, OCD is a well-recognised mental health condition that can be understood, managed, and effectively treated.
OCD is typically made up of two parts:
- Obsessions: unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that are intrusive, distressing and hard to control. These can bring feelings of fear, guilt, or doubt.
- Compulsions: repetitive behaviours or mental rituals carried out to relieve anxiety or to “neutralise” the obsession. While these may bring short-term relief, they often strengthen the cycle and keep OCD going.
Many people with OCD feel shame or confusion about their experiences, worrying that their intrusive thoughts mean something about them. In truth, intrusive thoughts are a symptom of OCD, not a reflection of who you are. Therapy helps separate your sense of self from the disorder, allowing you to reclaim your life.
Common Types of OCD
OCD can look very different from person to person. Below are some of the most common forms:
-
Contamination OCD
Fear of germs, dirt, illness, or chemicals. This often leads to excessive washing, cleaning, or avoidance of certain people or places. -
Checking OCD
The need to repeatedly check doors, appliances, lights, or safety-related action, driven by fears of causing harm or being responsible for something going wrong. -
Harm OCD
Distressing intrusive thoughts of harming yourself or others, even though you have no wish or intention to act on them. These thoughts often cause deep guilt and fear. -
Religious or Moral OCD (Scrupulosity)
Intense concerns about offending your faith, doing something “sinful,” or failing to live up to moral standards. This can lead to repetitive prayers, reassurance seeking, or confession. -
Relationship OCD (R-OCD)
Ongoing doubts about whether you love your partner, whether they love you, or fears of being unfaithful. These doubts can feel constant, even in otherwise healthy relationships. -
Sexual Orientation OCD (SO-OCD)
Distressing doubts about your sexual orientation, often with intrusive “what if?” thoughts, even if your identity has never been in question before. -
Symmetry, Ordering & Counting OCD
A strong need for things to feel “just right.” This can lead to arranging, ordering, repeating or counting behaviours until they feel complete. -
Purely Obsessional OCD (“Pure O”)
Intrusive thoughts without visible compulsions. In reality, the compulsions often happen mentally, such as reviewing, analysing, or mentally “undoing” thoughts.
It’s important to remember that OCD themes can shift over time. Someone may experience one type at one point in their life and another later on. What unites them all is the cycle of intrusive thoughts and compulsive responses.
How Therapy Helps
OCD can feel powerful, but it is treatable. With the right support, it’s possible to reduce the impact of intrusive thoughts, let go of compulsions, and live more freely.
My integrative approach combines several evidence-based therapies, personalised to your needs:
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
Including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the gold standard treatment for OCD. This involves gradually facing fears in a safe way, without engaging in compulsions, allowing anxiety to naturally decrease over time.
Inference-Based CBT (I-CBT)
I-CBT works on the idea that intrusive thoughts in OCD are not caused by real danger, but by doubt. People with OCD often get caught in “what if?” thinking that feels just as real as actual evidence. Instead of challenging the content of your fears, I-CBT helps you recognise the process of doubt, teaching you how to step back from false alarms and reconnect with reality-based reasoning. Many clients find this empowering, because it gives them tools to recognise OCD for what it is, an unreliable narrator, rather than something they must fight or obey.
Schema Therapy
Looking at deeper life patterns, core beliefs, and unmet needs that may contribute to OCD. This helps create long-term change and emotional healing.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing)
A powerful approach for processing past experiences or traumas that may be fuelling OCD symptoms, reducing the intensity of distressing thoughts and memories.
Integrative Psychotherapy
Drawing from multiple approaches, I adapt therapy to suit you, your goals, your pace, and your journey.
A Compassionate Space
Seeking help for OCD can feel daunting, especially if you’ve been struggling in silence. Please know: you are not alone, and OCD does not define who you are.
In therapy, you’ll find a supportive and non-judgemental space where your experiences are taken seriously and understood with compassion. Together, we will work towards breaking free from OCD’s grip and helping you live a calmer, more fulfilling life.
If you are ready to take the next step, I invite you to get in touch. Whether you’re seeking clarity, relief from anxiety, or a deeper sense of peace, therapy can help you find your way forward.