What Is Pure OCD?
What is Pure OCD? Though not officially listed in the DSM-5, Pure OCD (Purely Obsessional OCD) is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) characterized by intrusive thoughts without visible compulsions. Unlike traditional OCD, where compulsions often involve physical actions, individuals with Pure OCD engage in mental rituals, reassurance-seeking, and rumination to cope with their distressing thoughts. While the term isn’t widely used by clinicians, it accurately describes a unique OCD experience that affects many people. Understanding its symptoms and treatment options is crucial for effective management.
To learn more about OCD treatment options at New Mind Wellness, call us today or verify your insurance online. We’re excited to help you start your personal recovery journey.
What Is OCD?
To understand what is pure OCD, it can help to first review some basic facts about the disorder itself.
As the name of the condition suggests, obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by two types of symptoms, obsessions and compulsions.
Obsessions are intrusive, unwanted thoughts. Examples of this type of OCD symptom include:
- Upsetting mental images of a sexual, violent, or blasphemous nature
- Concern that you might blurt out something obscene or otherwise offensive when meeting new people or in a public environment
- Intense fear of contracting a virus or otherwise becoming contaminated or infected
- Unshakeable thoughts of hurting or killing other people
- Preoccupation with symmetry, order, and organization, which can also involve psychological distress when in a disorganized environment
- Belief that if you fail to perform a certain task or ritual, something terrible will happen to someone else
Compulsions are actions or behaviors that a person feels forced to perform. As you may note as you read the list below, some – but by no means all – compulsions are closely linked with obsessions. Examples of OCD-related compulsions include:
- Washing your hands or showering excessively, even when there is no reason to do so
- Unwillingness to hug, shake hands with, or even touch other people due to fear of contamination
- Cleaning and organizing your room, office, or residence many times, even when nothing is obviously dirty or out of place
- Having to touch certain objects in a predetermined order or complete some other ritual before you can leave a room or residence
- Repeating certain words, phrases, or number sequences over and over again, either aloud or mentally
- Continually asking for reassurance that you’re not a bad person, that you don’t have some terrible medical condition, or that your friends and family members still like you
When reviewing the potential symptoms of OCD, don’t ignore the impact they have on the people who experience them. Contrary to what you may have heard or seen on TV, simply having a preference for organization or a deep concern about contamination doesn’t mean you have OCD.
For those who have this condition, unwanted thoughts and disruptive urges can take up significant amounts of time and cause considerable psychological pain. In extreme cases, they can undermine a person’s efforts to live a full, productive, and satisfying life.
For some individuals, OCD can significantly impact daily functioning, raising questions about whether OCD is considered a disability and how it is classified in legal and medical contexts.
What Is Pure OCD?
Not everyone with OCD develops both types of symptoms equally. For some people, obsessions are the dominant symptoms, or at least the ones that cause the most obvious distress.
Those who primarily experience obsessions are sometimes described as having purely obsessive OCD, which is often shortened to pure OCD or just pure O.
Several sources describe pure OCD as involving obsessions only, with no compulsions at all. Though this is possible, many experts believe that it is highly unlikely.
In the majority of cases, people who are described as having pure OCD also have compulsions, but these urges are mental instead of behavioral, and are thus more difficult to observe. One example of a mental compulsion is the need to silently count or repeat certain words or phrases.
In addition to understanding what pure OCD is, it can be equally valuable to know what it’s not.
As noted at the top of this post, pure OCD is not an official clinical term. It does not appear in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), and it is highly unlikely that a clinician would use it when diagnosing a patient.
Of course, a mental health term doesn’t have to be present in the DSM-5 in order to be real or valuable.
OCD can affect different people in widely different ways. Having terminology to describe variations in OCD’s impact can help people better understand and explain what they’ve been dealing with.
For those struggling with Pure OCD or other forms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, outpatient mental health treatment can provide structured support without requiring inpatient hospitalization.
Are There Other Types of OCD?
Pure OCD is not the only unofficial subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Other examples include:
- Contamination OCD: People who have this version will have an overwhelming fear of viruses, bacteria, and other potential contaminants, and they will go to great lengths to keep themselves safe. This may include showering several times per day, frequently changing their clothes, or even refusing to be in certain areas (such as doctor’s offices, schools, or on pubic transportation).
- Existential OCD: Someone with this type of OCD may become fixated on philosophical topics such as the nature of reality. For example, they may question whether they or their environment actually exist, or if what they perceive as the real world is nothing more than a hallucination or computer simulation.
- Harm OCD: This subtype of OCD is characterized by intrusive thoughts and powerful urges related to hurting yourself or someone else. This can include fear that you might accidentally harm someone or impulsively lash out with violent aggression.
- Relationship OCD: People with this OCD subtype will be plagued by negative thoughts about their spouse or partner. Even though they love and respect the person they’re in a relationship with, they may have a recurring fear that they’re not actually “the one,” and they should have found someone better.
- Sexual orientation OCD: This subtype of OCD can cause people to continually question or doubt their sexual orientation. A straight person may persistently wonder if having certain thoughts or reactions means that they are actually gay, while someone who is gay may not be able to shake the fear that are actually thinking or acting straight.
In some cases, OCD symptoms can overlap with other psychiatric conditions, leading to misdiagnosis or confusion. For example, people sometimes mistake OCD for mood disorders or personality disorders, as both conditions involve intrusive thoughts and emotional distress.
Learn More About OCD Treatment in Philadelphia
Untreated OCD can wreak havoc on a person’s life. But when you get the care you need, you can regain control over your thoughts and behaviors. With effective treatment and a concerted effort on your part, you can achieve the healthier and more hopeful future that you deserve.
New Mind Wellness Center offers personalized outpatient care for adults whose lives have been disrupted by OCD and other mental health concerns. Our programming includes a dynamic array of customizable therapies and support services, all of which are provided by compassionate professionals within a safe and highly supportive environment.
To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free consultation, please visit our admission page or call us today.
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