So I’ll preface this by noting how new I am to all this. But what is pure OCD as opposed to just OCD? And what are you experiences with either?

Pure OCD basically means you do just mental compulsions (reassurance, avoidance, checking).

In reality, there’s not a huge difference between the two. Some people believe that Pure O is a different type of OCD, but it really isn’t. It’s all the same disorder, and it comes with the same behavioral and thought patterns all OCD does. It’s just that since the compulsions are all mental they can be harder to identify and pinpoint. Some even once thought that Pure O didn’t come with compulsions (hence the term pure O - purely obsessional) but that was proven to be completely wrong.

"Pure OCD" is pure BS. Mental compulsions are compulsions just as physical compulsions are. All of these classifications like Pure OCD, HOCD, ROCD are all so pointless. It's just OCD!

Hand washing is for sure an example of a physical compulsions. Another example might be having to check a stove several times, or having to turn a light on and off until it’s just right. Examples of the mental compulsions that come with pure O would be over analyzing thoughts and feelings, checking, arguing with yourself, etc.

What about something like counting steps when walking?

I’m honestly not sure where counting steps would lie. Honestly though it doesn’t really matter, since it’s all the same disorder anyway and pure o isn’t any different from “regular” OCD. I know a lot of therapists/specialists don’t even like to use the term pure o anymore.

It would be pure O (invisible compulsions)

Thanks for all the replies. It’s helping me slowly figure this all out so I can work on coping and hopefully recovery of at least some of my life

Knowledge is empowering! Good luck!

Yeah it really helped me out when I figured out that I actually did have compulsions. I thought that because I didn’t have a physical ritual like “handwashing” I couldn’t have OCD. However, my compulsion was to always combat my intrusive thoughts with reassurance/avoidance. Once I realized that was my compulsion, I stop that and my life got so much better. I started doing some self ERP and it gave me great results, I’m starting professional ERP Friday. Anyway you’ll get through this, the past year was the lowest point of my life and I thought I’d never get thru it but I did and you will too!

What’s the physical component of OCD? Is that like hand washing? (terrible cliché I know)