Psychology Today's online self-tests are intended for informational purposes only and are not diagnostic tools. Psychology Today does not capture or store personally identifiable information, and your ...

Contamination OCD is a subtype, or “theme,” of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It includes persistent fear of contamination and an overwhelming need to clean oneself and objects. OCD involves ...

When my daughter was young, she washed her hands a lot. We might have poked what we thought was gentle fun at her, saying she was “a little bit OCD”. Later, she began to disclose “bad thoughts”, which ...

Individuals who experience hoarding related to OCD may have distressing feelings about discarding items. It can drive compulsive saving behaviors that they recognize as excessive. Obsessive-compulsive ...

Anxiety itself is not a mental illness. It’s a normal, adaptive emotion that helps us respond to perceived threats. Anxiety is the automatic reaction that makes you jump back when you think you’ve ...