Contamination OCD is a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder marked by intense fears of germs, dirt, or illness, leading to compulsions like excessive cleaning or avoidance. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy can help you learn to manage symptoms and break the cycle of OCD.
No one likes getting sick—and health safety measures like washing your hands before eating, or wearing masks when you’re sick can be good public health and hygiene practices. But for those with contamination obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a subtype of OCD, these actions can become extreme.
People with OCD are usually driven by fear, and engage in very time-consuming rituals, which may significantly interfere with daily life. Obsessions about contamination can feel all-consuming, and no amount of cleaning or disinfecting seems to provide relief.
You might experience thoughts like: “If I touch this, I’ll get sick, and something terrible will happen,” or “I have to wash my hands again, or I’ll contaminate everything around me.” In response, you may perform compulsions, which are repetitive behaviors or mental acts meant to reduce anxiety, neutralize difficult thoughts, or prevent something bad from happening.
Worried you might have contamination OCD? While only a licensed therapist can provide a diagnosis, becoming aware of your symptoms can be an important first step in your treatment journey. Read on for a test to help you determine whether you have signs of contamination OCD.
Contamination OCD Quiz
Here is a list of statements related to contamination OCD. Answer “yes” to the ones that you relate to and keep track of your number of “yeses.” This quiz shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.
Before you begin, it’s important to note that taking a quiz is not a replacement for an OCD diagnosis. Instead, think of this more as a screening to help you learn more about signs and symptoms you should look for. If you answer “yes” to several of these questions, it may be worth seeking an assessment from a mental health professional.
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Here are some questions you can ask yourself:
- Do you feel compelled to wash your hands, shower, or clean your space over and over, even after you’ve already done it?
- Do you have an overwhelming fear of germs, dirt, or contamination from everyday objects?
- Do you avoid certain places or activities due to fears of contamination? For example, public restrooms, hospitals, schools, etc.)
- Do you believe that if you don’t perform a certain cleaning ritual or action, something bad will happen, like you or someone else will get sick?
- Do you experience frequent, persistent thoughts about contamination, such as fears of being poisoned, contracting a disease, or spreading germs to others?
- Do you engage in repeated mental rituals (such as counting or praying) to “neutralize” or try to reduce these fears?
- Do you ever feel that a person or a place can contaminate you with negative energy or traits?
- Do you sometimes feel that your fears around contamination or illness are often irrational, but still can’t stop yourself from acting on them?
- Do you constantly seek reassurance from others about the cleanliness of your environment or the risk of getting sick?
- Have activities you once enjoyed, like attending social events or eating in public, become anxiety-inducing because of fear of contamination?
Results of your contamination OCD quiz
An online test can’t provide an OCD diagnosis, and this list of questions doesn’t contain every possible symptom of contamination OCD. However, if you found yourself answering yes to many—or even a few questions—it might be helpful to see a therapist.
“When taking an OCD quiz, it’s important to remember that while it can provide insight into the symptoms and behaviors we may be experiencing, it should only serve as a prompt to seek professional help for an accurate medical diagnosis,” says licensed therapist MaryBeth Overstreet, MA, LPC.
Generally, if you find yourself asking whether or not you have contamination OCD, there’s no harm in reaching out to a therapist for help.
Is it contamination OCD or just cleanliness?
When it comes to cleanliness, everyone has their own threshold for what feels dirty or clean, and their own hygiene habits—such as how long they shower, wash dishes, or do laundry, according to Overstreet. But differing habits aren’t necessarily a sign of OCD. “For example I might not like how my husband loads the dishwasher, but I don’t worry if they are clean,” Overstreet explains. “Someone who has contamination OCD is going to have intrusive thoughts around the fear that the dishwasher isn’t safe, because bacteria and mold might grow.”
With OCD, cleanliness and hygiene routines are more than just a preference or routine; these behaviors become a pattern that can interfere with daily functioning. You may feel trapped in a never-ending cycle of needing to clean, or checking and re-checking that your environment is meeting your standards of cleanliness. Even if these behaviors feel temporarily helpful, they won’t ease your anxiety in the long-term. In fact, compulsions only strengthen the need to continue performing them over time—ultimately reinforcing the OCD cycle.
What does contamination OCD feel like?
You can have OCD and recognize your fears are irrational, but still feel incapable of stopping your compulsions. This disconnect between how you’d like to respond, and how you do respond can make you feel isolated and frustrated.
Many people with contamination OCD also deal with guilt and shame about their thoughts and compulsions. This guilt can make it even harder for you to reach out for help or talk about your experiences. But, if you’re dealing with these issues, you’re not alone—and treatment is available.
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Treatment for contamination OCD
The most effective treatment for contamination OCD, like any other subtype of OCD, is exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, a specialized form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). ERP involves working with a therapist to gradually expose yourself to fears that trigger intrusive thoughts, while resisting the urge to do compulsions. The goal is to help you build tolerance to the anxiety these thoughts trigger, and reduce the need to engage in rituals to alleviate that anxiety.
In ERP therapy, you’ll work with a therapist to create a list of exercises where you’ll face your fears and resist responding with compulsions. This list will be ranked, so you’re starting with the least challenging sounding exercises, and working your way up—all while learning to sit with discomfort and uncertainty.
For contamination OCD, you might begin by touching a clean doorknob or surface and resisting the urge to wash your hands immediately after. Over time, these exercises will become more challenging, like touching objects that you perceive as “contaminated,” or going into public bathrooms without performing your usual compulsions.
This process requires you to sit with discomfort and anxiety, rather than immediately responding. The more you resist engaging in compulsions, the less power your intrusive thoughts will have over your life. Eventually, with continued therapy, your triggers will cause less distress, and the need to perform compulsions will decrease.
Bottom line
Contamination OCD can make you feel overwhelmed by constant fears of dirt, germs, or illness. But, understanding what you’re dealing with is an important first step toward seeking help—and learning to manage your symptoms. With the right support, you can reduce the anxiety caused by obsessions, and live more freely, despite the challenges OCD may present.