OCD is a complex and widely misunderstood disorder. Here are a few common questions and answers.
1. Is OCD just when you really like things to be clean and orderly?
No! In fact, many people have OCD without a need for things to be clean and orderly. Though “just right,” symmetry, and cleanliness certainly can be OCD themes, they are far from being the only ones. It’s perfectly normal for someone with OCD to be just as messy as anyone else while coping with quite a bit of internal anguish about other OCD themes.
2. So… what other kinds of thoughts are common in OCD?
More often discussed themes of OCD include: contamination, responsibility/ checking, moral or religious scrupulosity, relationship, symmetry or “just right” OCD. But OCD also often shows up in the form of more taboo topics, such as violent or agressive obsessions, pedophilic obsessions, fears of harming a baby or child, obsessions about suicidality, or even bestiality or necrophilia. Common compulsions that individuals perform to neutralize the anxiety from these thoughts include: avoid knives or any other potential implements of harm, mental rumination about the thoughts and what they mean, monitoring and investigating bodily sensations to get certain about what they mean, trying to replace bad thoughts with good thoughts, avoiding children/ babies, mentally reviewing situations and experiences to make sure you didn’t behave in a deviant way, avoidance of anything that triggers the obsessive thoughts.
3. Should I talk to a therapist about my taboo OCD themes? I’m afraid they will think I’m terrible or report me.
Yes, you should talk to your therapist about your taboo OCD themes. An experienced OCD therapist is able to distinguish between an obsession that a person experiences as intrusive, unwanted, and distressing and an actual danger that merits being reported. Being afraid to talk to someone about these themes often prevents those who suffer with them from getting the help they need. OCD therapy, particularly that which includes ERP (exposure with response prevention), can help you better understand what’s happening in your head and reduce the hold that these obsessions and the compulsions have on you.
“A further sign of health is that we don’t become undone by fear and trembling, but we take it as a message that it’s time to stop struggling and look directly at what’s threatening us.”
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An excellent article about taboo OCD themes: “5 Taboo and Very Common OCD Themes” (Kastens, 2026)
References:
Kastens, A. (2026, May 20). What is OCD? Symptoms, causes, and treatment. NOCD. https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/5-taboo-and-very-common-ocd-obsessions
