Contamination OCD

Washing or cleaning can bring relief. But the NHS explains that the relief from a compulsion only lasts a short time. The fear and anxiety soon come back, and the cycle starts again. Our guide to what OCD is explains this cycle of obsessions and compulsions.

OCD-UK describes a key difference. People with contamination OCD often wash or clean many times, until they feel clean. People without OCD tend to wash once, until they can see they are clean.

Washing also gets in the way of learning. NHS inform says compulsions stop you finding out that your intrusive thoughts are not real. They also stop you learning that you can cope with anxiety, and that it may not be as bad as you imagine.

Not all contamination fears come from touching something. OCD-UK describes mental contamination. This is a feeling of being dirty inside, even when you have not touched anything dirty.

OCD-UK says it can be almost as if you have been made to feel like dirt. It says this feeling almost always comes from a person, rather than an object.

Mental contamination is part of contamination OCD. OCD-UK says every form of OCD has the same treatment approach, working on both the obsessions and the compulsions.

Not every compulsion involves washing. OCD-UK says avoidance is a common compulsion. You might avoid objects, places or people that you link with contamination. The NHS notes that not all compulsions are obvious to other people.

Asking for reassurance is a compulsion too. You might ask again and again whether something is clean, or whether you could make someone ill. OCD-UK says that with reassurance, once is never enough. Each answer tends to make the need to ask again stronger.

How family and friends get drawn in

Loved ones can help compulsions without knowing it. They might give repeated reassurance, help you avoid things, or buy large amounts of cleaning products. This is sometimes called accommodation.

Reassurance from loved ones can feel helpful at the time. But NHS inform says that in the long term, it makes compulsions harder to overcome. Current NICE guidance (CG31) says treatment should help family members reduce their involvement in a sensitive and supportive way.

If you are a parent, our guide to OCD in children and young people explains how to help without feeding the OCD.

The NHS says OCD is unlikely to get better on its own. But treatment and support can help you manage your symptoms and have a better quality of life.

You can see a GP, who can refer you if needed. In England, if you are 18 or over (16 or 17 in some areas), you can also refer yourself to an NHS talking therapies service.

You can also choose private treatment. With us, you do not need a referral or a diagnosis. You can book an Initial Consultation directly. It is a 30-minute session to talk through your concerns, get a clinical opinion and plan your treatment together. See our fees and how to book.

If your fears started during pregnancy or after having a baby, see our guide to OCD in pregnancy and after birth. The NHS says obsessions at this time may include worrying about not sterilising feeding bottles properly.