Mental / Emotional Contamination OCD Test & Symptoms

Mental and Emotional Contamination OCD combines Magical Thinking with Contamination OCD. This means that people are concerned that other people they know or don’t know can impact them negatively mentally or emotionally. Often times, individuals suffering from this form of OCD are concerned that someone has contaminated them, their space, bedroom, house, etc. Occasionally, they can fear losing themselves and becoming this other person or taking on a certain trait about the person that they do not like, want, etc. Traits that they fear taking on can include being mean, a jerk, angry, sad, depressed, lonely, a loner, or some other feared personality or emotional state. The fear that they have been mentally or emotionally contaminated by someone they deem as gross, mean, abusive, hurtful, or a terrible person can create tremendous anxiety and overwhelm. These fears can even include the fear of turning into someone you dislike, such as someone that is disabled or otherwise perceived to be undesirable in some respect. Physical and mental compulsions can include trying to avoid people that trigger their fear that they will become contaminated or avoiding objects or places that someone they find undesirable has touched or been. Compulsions can also include the need to pray, cleanse, take long showers, or do other forms of mental compulsions in order to keep the mental or emotional contamination from happening.