Anonymous
- Date posted
- 24w
What do themes mean?
I have read many people use the word theme in their posts. I think I know what that means as far as OCD goes but could someone please confirm me??? Thanks!
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 24w
Hey there! OCD often tends to go after specific types of thoughts, such as fearing for the health of others or your own health/being overly aware of physical symptoms of potential illness (health OCD), fearing germs/being dirty/getting others dirty (contamination OCD) as has been mentioned a couple times (this is probably the subtype that people are most familiar with), or questioning sexuality (sexual orientation OCD). OCD doesn't necessarily always follow clearly delineated themes, though, and it is possible to struggle with more than one type of theme. It is also possible for OCD to "hop" themes, as well, so you may struggle with one theme at a specific point in your life but then may struggle with a different theme at a different point in your life. I hope this helps!
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 24w
Mine started after losing 4 family members. I did not lose them it same time but acter losing the first one I started being very careful with my lite boy at the time. Then List another person and it got worse. Etc.... Do is that health ocd??? But how come I worry or focus on one thing related to my fears and then days later I am doing better with that but am worried about something else? It makes me feel lije I am.worried about everything around me that reminds me if the period of times when I lost them. I avoid, things, places, even peiple sometimes. Very hard to explain but I feel.like it has isolated me too having ocd cuz nobody understands it.
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 24w
I guess I am asking if my OCD is done theme but that I sometimes worry more about one part of it (probably what is happening or what I am going through at that time) but it all his,to do with a fear of hoing through what I want through with the other losses but also....to be honest it is like I am worried about any memory or y is that brings me back to those times when I lost someone. I am afraid too touch certain things or visit other family.members, public places (stores certain restaurants) cuz they have some tie to that point in my life. I still wash my hands but not like when my ocd started. So it is like I get "better" with certain things but then I am focusing on another ...but it still has same "theme.
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 24w
ocd tends to lean into themes or categories for example 'contamination ocd' relating to fear of substances, germs, illness. Or 'harm ocd' fear of hurting themselves or others. Rocd, pure OCD, and the list goes on.
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 24w
Mine started after I lost family.members. I begin to worry that others around me would get sick so I'd make sure I would clean thoroughly, wash my hands a lot, etc. Years later I feel like it is still the same yet I wash my hands less or at least not so long and don't clean like I did before but I worry a lot. and avoid a lot. So I have not changed themes then right?
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 24w
However, it does feel like I worry a lot about sfuff and then later I am worrying not ask mych about a,certain part of my fears but I worry about another thing....but they bith have something to do with each other. So...is that still the same theme?
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 24w
OCD can attach to any thought but there are specific thoughts that are more common, such as contamination, harm, health, and others. As a result there are subtypes that have been identified. The theme is the subtype or type of thought you are having. Below is a great article on subtypes and themes from NOCD. I hope it's helpful. A Quick Guide to Some Common OCD Subtypes (Patrick McGrath PhD for NOCD): https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/a-quick-guide-to-some-common-ocd-subtypes
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 24w
It started when I lost 4 family members but it did not happen it same time. After the first one I was sad, depressed, etc but I feel.like it got worse than just that. I begsn to get very careful with others around me. And then I lost my mom. After that, tjings got worse. Than I lost two more people AMD so I guess mine is a health ocd as I feared if I was not careful.enough someone else wouod get sick or something. Or i would But now years have passed and I am still worrging etc. I don't get it. Is thishealth ocd? I also avoid youching stiff from.that period of times.or anything that has a memory of that time...including visiting houses of people who had anything to fo with that time in my life. It is awful!
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 24w
Hey, a theme is pretty much what OCD has attached to. For example, if someone has a fear of being contaminated there OCD theme is contamination.
needtoescapetheV0IDneedtoescape...
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 24w
Themes are different types of OCD obsessions. POCD, Contamination OCD, Real Events OCD, and Somatic OCD are all themes of OCD. Hope this helps!
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 24w
Thanks. So it isnt a different theme if my fears or worries go from worrying ago it one thing to another as long as they are about the same thing?
needtoescapetheV0IDneedtoescape...
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 23w
@Anonymous - (TW FOR HARM OCD!) If it's the same general sort of obsession, yes, it's the same theme. Like, if you have a fear that you're going to lose control and stab someone, and then switch to being worried that you are going to accidentally hit someone with your car, than both of those are the same theme because they are centered around the same obsession, which in the case of the example is harm.
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 23w
@needtoescapetheV0ID Thanks for answering!!!
Related posts
Cody Fournier
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 22w
OCD switches themes
I was just thinking about how OCD tries to be tricky and switches themes on us!! The amount of times I have said to myself in the past, IF ONLY I HAD THE OLDER THEME I USE TO WORRY ABOUT BECAUSE THIS NEW ONE IS SO MUCH WORSE!!! Has anyone ever experienced this before? Once I started ERP therapy, I began to really start understanding what mental/physical compulsions I was doing to really keep my OCD alive! While I did this, I would also tap into my self-compassion bucket, even when it felt like it was dry at times, because it was SO easy to judge myself for because of the sheer presence of my thoughts. I would also have the most self-compassion for myself for those taboo intrusive thoughts that really felt so strong, ego-dystonic and real!!! My OCD would hop around from theme to theme and just when I thought I figured it out (compulsion) it would hop again and make me discouraged! I noticed for me that once I really understood my compulsions, it didn't matter when the theme switched as I could tackle it at its core. If I was able to stay steadfast and resist compulsions the best I could, I started to notice that my CONFIDENCE increased in the long run! I also noticed that some of the core fears were the same for different OCD subtypes. OCD treatment is hard BUT living with OCD is harder. I have experienced subtypes including Harm OCD, ROCD, Moral Scrupulosity, Sensorimotor, Contamination, Perfectionism/Just Right, Hit and Run, Magical Thinking, Real Event/False Memory. ERP therapy allowed me to really work on stopping these compulsions and switching from theme to theme. I was fed up with what OCD took from me and I needed to do something about it. I talked to an ERP therapist and it was one of the best decisions of my life. If you are struggling, keep pushing and get the help you deserve!! You got this!!!
Mk3
- Date posted
- 15w
Rocd
I’ve had different themes of ocd throughout my life. Can they all differ such as how the thoughts may present? Currently my thoughts feel so true immediately (like they genuinely feel like what I think) but in the last theme I feel like it may have been more of a “what if I think this” type of situation
hhaatt
- Date posted
- 9w
switching between themes
Themes constantly switching. I’ve been suffering with real event ocd the last year and am currently in therapy treating it. it’s nowhere near as bad as it was last year and it’s felt like a nice break. there’s days where it gets bad but i can’t compare it to the stress of last year. However i’ve noticed every time i overcome a theme a new one hits me out of nowhere. i’ve suffered with ocd since i was 9, and ive had multiple themes. i’m in a 2 year relationship with my partner and it’s amazing. she’s probably my second proper relationship due to the fact my first relationship gave me so much fear to get into another one as i was cheated on, and needed a few years to get over that. i kind of guessed that ROCD would creep in at some point as it just felt inevitable. anyways, i know my partner is not cheating on me, she’s beyond loyal, we are so so in love but i think due to that first relationship i had, being cheated on really messed with my head. it’s like my brain is telling me my partner has someone else even though i know in my heart nothings going on, and i trust her with my life. i also think because im in the happiest relationship of my life, anything that would indicate loosing her makes me feel sick and riddled with anxiety. and i know that’s completely normal for everyone. i think the most frustrating thing is, is knowing that my OCD has finally crept into my relationship which is something i never wanted it to do. this is a brand new theme and i have no idea how to treat this. i will speak to my therapist but if anyone has been through this theme and any advice in the meantime i would really appreciate it :).
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