I wonder how culturally dependent OCD themes are? Like 50+ years ago I doubt as many people obsessed over whether they were trans or gay. Or what about before commonplace hand washing? Perhaps the themes are specific to a context. But the thought process behind all OCD themes is the same.

That’s a good question. I feel like it must have been absolute hell on earth to have OCD before people knew what it was. I can’t imagine the pain of having a mental disorder before they were widely understood in society. I’m sure that also influenced how people experienced OCD. It’s a great comfort to know that many other people experience the disease and that you are not alone...

I read that when there was the big aids outbreak people with OCD had themes about catching it. I think it definitely has to do with the context and what is happening around us. LGBTQ+ is huge right now so it’s a common OCD theme. The media is showing a lot of harm and pedophilia/sex trafficking news and that’s a common theme too. There are always so many articles about how this and that is bad for you, and contamination is super common too. I do believe that it has to do with the world around us.

Have you read The Man Who Couldn’t Stop by David Adam? He developed obsessions around AIDS around the time of the epidemic I think. My themes primarily center around perfectionism. I never felt truly accepted by my dad and never felt I could please him so this makes sense for me. And I did well in school and had pressure put on me to achieve great things and what not.

Thank you! My dad doesn’t talk to me right now, unfortunately. And I told him about my OCD in the past but he wasn’t too understanding (even though I think he might have OCD himself). When I told him he later sent me a bunch of “I’m so OCD” memes and criticized me for not laughing with him and would tell me to snap out of it when he caught me obsessing. :( He does care but just doesn’t handle it rightly. The last time he spoke with me he just kind of wrote me off.

No I haven’t, but I’ll look it up! That definitely makes sense. I was in an abusive relationship and was forced to act a certain way and I was pretty much taught that it was just the right way to act or something so I still like aim for that I think. My main obsessions are contamination, breathing type obsessions, and POCD. The POCD has gotten a ton better though, and I’m grateful for that because it is the hardest for me to handle! I hope you’re telling OCD to back off because you are amazing the way you are! I’m sorry about the way things are with your dad, have you tried bringing it up with him or do you think it’s purely OCD?