Currently, there are at least two subtypes of OCD using the term ‘TOCD’.
TOCD currently refers to Tourettic OCD, as well as Transgender OCD. Both subtypes of OCD are frequently searched, with many sufferers experiencing these. It is possible to experience both.
Tourettic OCD is the combination of Tourette and OCD symptoms concurrently. It is a term used to describe behaviours that do not match the traditional description of Tourette or OCD on their own.
However, searching TOCD also leads to articles on Transgender OCD– obsessive thinking on gender identity.
So… which one is it?
We asked the r/OCD community for their opinion
Over at Reddit, we asked the 147k-strong OCD community.
The result was the same as the online search. Mixed.
One member kindly provided the following input:
‘I think the various four letter acronyms are confusing and unnecessarily divide ocd sufferers. All the subtypes suffer from the same disorder ocd, it’s just that the content of the obsessions vary.’
The same user stated that they also encountered the same clash of subtypes with ‘HOCD’. They were searching Harm OCD and found Homosexual OCD.
Another user believed that TOCD stood for Transgender OCD, but felt bias because this was the subtype that affected them personally.
Bias will no doubt influence the opinions when it comes to what the letters stand for.
An international moderator for these acronyms?
At present, TOCD can refer to both subtypes, and many more. This means searching the web will bring up at least two separate results.
Confusing, and not very organised.
If the International OCD Foundation or a similar organisation could provide a list of acronyms for the most searched subtypes, hopefully there wouldn’t be such a mixed bag of results online.
Is this something we need in the community? As time goes on there is an increasing use of acronyms, as well as more subtypes being discovered.
It would make sense to moderate these more.
