HOCD Relapse Prevention and Long-Term Recovery

Written and clinically reviewed By Dr Elaine Ryan Chartered Psychologist specialising in OCD and anxiety disorders, with over 20 years’ clinical experience.

HOCD and Comorbid OCD Subtypes

It’s quite common for people with HOCD to notice that their fears shift over time. ADAA notes that people with OCD can have multiple sub-types so it is not unusual if you find the content of your obsessions can change. One day the worry is about sexuality, the next it might be about relationships, health, … Read more

HOCD in LGBTQ+, Non-Binary and Trans Identities

When people hear the term HOCD, they often think of it as something that only affects straight people who fear they might secretly be gay. In reality, it’s much broader than that. HOCD, or sexual orientation OCD, can affect anyone — including people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, non-binary or trans. This study … Read more

Signs and Symptoms of HOCD

If you’ve found this page because you keep questioning your sexual orientation, or you’re frightened by thoughts that don’t seem to match who you are, I want you to know that you’re not on your own. I’ve seen this so many times in my work with people who have OCD, and it can feel terrifying … Read more

Using CBT to Start Working with HOCD

When people come to me with HOCD, what they often want—understandably—is certainty. They want to know what their thoughts mean. They want clarity about who they are. And they want the fear to stop. I always tell them the same thing: HOCD isn’t about your sexual identity; rather it is to do with what your brain does … Read more

Can OCD Affect What You See, Hear, or Remember?

This is one of those topics that doesn’t really get a proper look in until you’ve been in the field a long time. I remember, during my undergraduate degree in psychology, we studied perception in a fairly straightforward way—illusions, visual processing, that sort of thing. Then, later during my professional training, most of the focus … Read more