4 Types of OCD (Test)

Take this comprehensive test to see how your obsessive-compulsive behavior shows up

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What is OCD?

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a recognized mental disorder in which a person suffers from obsessive, fear-based thoughts and compulsions to act out in ways that ease those fears. Obsession means you’re thinking about something over and over. Compulsion means you feel compelled to act in ways that are primarily out of your control.1Starcevic, V., Berle, D., Brakoulias, V., Sammut, P., Moses, K., Milicevic, D., & Hannan, A. (2011). Functions of compulsions in obsessive–compulsive disorder. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry45(6), 449-457. In OCD, obsessions can occur without any visible compulsions.2McKay, D., Abramowitz, J. S., Calamari, J. E., Kyrios, M., Radomsky, A., Sookman, D., … & Wilhelm, S. (2004). A critical evaluation of obsessive–compulsive disorder subtypes: Symptoms versus mechanisms. Clinical psychology review24(3), 283-313.

When you’re afraid that something bad might happen, you naturally think about it more often. Your mind prioritizes safety and neutralization of the threat. However, in OCD, the compulsions are excessive and not proportionate to the threats they’re designed to tackle.

For instance, washing hands 2-3 times with soap is normal if they’re dirty. However, doing so 20-30 times is not and points to OCD. The excessiveness of compulsions makes OCD disruptive to everyday life. If you spend much time easing your perceived fears, you have little time and energy left for other things.

Types of OCD

CheckingExcessive checking to prevent harm
CleaningAvoidance of contamination
OrderingMaking things orderly and ‘just right’
RuminationIntrusive thoughts often related to harm

About the test

This test consists of 40 items in a Yes/No format. There are 10 items in each category. The greater your overall score, the higher the likelihood of having OCD. You’ll also be shown a category-level breakdown of your score for each OCD subtype. Note that a high score on a subtype has nothing to do with the intensity of that subtype. Obsessions and compulsions are intense by default.

The scores on OCD subtypes tell you how prevalent that subtype is. If you score high on a subtype, it means that your obsessive-compulsive behavior manifests in multiple ways under the subtype. Scoring low on a subtype means it manifests less often under that subtype.

The test is completely anonymous and free to take. We neither collect nor share your information with anyone.

References