The Top 15 Lesser-Known OCD Themes (and there's plenty more to boot!)
Looking through the stats on my blog I noticed that the biggest (by far) read blog with a few thousands reads is the one where I am being very specific about the crazy symptoms that I have had to deal with with ROCD.Being Specific
Obviously when most people hear “OCD,” they picture handwashing, neat desks, or someone who really loves a checklist. (Annoying!) Obsessive–compulsive disorder is less about being tidy and more about being trapped in your own head — stuck with thoughts you didn’t choose, don’t agree with, and can’t seem to shut off. Some of the most painful OCD themes are also the least talked about, which makes them feel terrifyingly isolating. I should know I felt isolated for years when I first started getting ROCD symptoms as all the Doctors just told me was to snap out of it. I remember one Dr actually being angry with me and told me to go home and stop being a pain! So it wasn't until the late 2000s that ROCD was started to be understood. So here's my first stab at a list that compiles more of the lesser known conditions and being totally honest I would say that I have at some point thought about all of these lesser known OCD's and get stuck on them. Sometimes only a few hours, or a few days or in other cases a few months or years until the one that finally stuck was ROCD.
Here are 15 lesser-known OCD themes people experience — often in silence.
1. Harm OCD
This involves intrusive thoughts about hurting someone — loved ones, strangers, even children — despite having no desire to do so.
The fear isn’t wanting to hurt someone; it’s the horror of “What if I could?”
People with harm OCD are often deeply gentle and conscientious, which is exactly why these thoughts feel so disturbing.
2. Sexual Orientation OCD (SO-OCD)
This is obsessive doubt about one’s sexual orientation, even when it’s been clear and stable for years.
The distress comes from uncertainty and constant mental checking, not from attraction itself.
3. Pedophilia OCD (POCD)
One of the most misunderstood OCD themes.
People experience intrusive fears of being a pedophile, paired with intense shame, avoidance, and reassurance-seeking — without any actual desire or intent.
The thoughts are ego-dystonic: they go directly against the person’s values.
4. Relationship OCD (ROCD)
ROCD centers on relentless doubt about romantic relationships:
“Do I really love them?”
“What if I chose the wrong person?”
“What if I’m lying to myself?”
This can happen even in happy, secure relationships — which makes it even more confusing.
5. Existential OCD
This goes far beyond casual philosophy.
People get stuck in looping thoughts about reality, consciousness, free will, or whether anything is real at all — often triggering panic and derealization.
6. Sensorimotor (Somatic) OCD
This is hyper-awareness of automatic bodily processes like breathing, blinking, swallowing, or heartbeat.
The obsession isn’t the sensation itself — it’s the fear of never being able to stop noticing it.
7. Contamination OCD (Beyond Germs)
Contamination doesn’t always mean dirt or bacteria.
Some people fear contamination by:
Certain words or images
“Bad energy” or vibes
Memories, emotions, or specific people
It’s about feeling mentally or morally “tainted.”
8. Health OCD (Sensations, Not Diagnoses)
Rather than obsessing over diseases, some people fixate on bodily sensations:
“Why does this feel strange?”
“What if this sensation means something terrible?”
Constant body-scanning becomes the compulsion.
9. “Just Right” OCD
There’s no clear fear — just a powerful internal sense that something is off.
People repeat actions, adjust objects, or redo tasks until the feeling finally settles.
10. Magical Thinking OCD
This involves believing that thoughts, numbers, or rituals can cause or prevent harm — even when the person logically knows it’s irrational.
“If I don’t do this, something bad might happen” becomes impossible to ignore.
11. Numbers & Patterns OCD
Certain numbers or patterns feel “safe,” while others feel dangerous or forbidden — often without any cultural or logical reason behind them.
12. Moral Scrupulosity
This is a relentless fear of being a bad person.
People obsess over:
Accidentally lying
Having impure motives
Causing harm without realizing it
Reassurance-seeking and mental reviewing become constant.
13. Religious Scrupulosity
Similar to moral scrupulosity, but centered on faith.
People worry about sinning, offending God, or performing religious practices incorrectly — even when they’re deeply devout.
14. Memory OCD
This involves doubting your own memory:
“Did I say something inappropriate?”
“Did I do that the right way?”
“What if I forgot something important?”
People replay conversations, reread messages, or mentally retrace events over and over.
15. False Memory OCD
One of the most distressing forms.
People fear they may have committed a terrible act in the past and simply don’t remember it — despite no evidence.
The mind fills the gaps with imagined scenarios that feel terrifyingly real.
The Thread That Connects Them All
Despite how different these themes look on the surface, they share a core pattern:
Intrusive, unwanted thoughts
Intense intolerance of uncertainty
Compulsions (physical or mental) meant to relieve anxiety — that ultimately keep it alive
OCD is not about who someone is. It’s about what their brain fixates on. I would be interested to hear from anybody who can add to this list or might not even be sure if its OCD but this list has struck a nerve somewhere.
The more taboo, frightening, or meaningful the topic is to someone, the louder OCD tends to latch onto it. I remember meeting a young girl who was maybe like 23 and the one thing about her is that she always knew she wanted to be a mother. It was like a calling but she was in absolute turmoil because she was plagued with impure thoughts of young children. It is a hideous one (well aren't they all) and it caused so much pain in her as she was living with so much shame whilst as the same time really wanting to have a child but not being able to trust herself with her own child. Truly heartbreaking but sometimes it's the very worst thing that starts up the OCD in the first place. It causes such an emotional reaction when a 'synthetic' thought pops into your head that you are then desperately trying to neutralize it away, and so begins the OCD.
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