Case 6 – Rohan - OCD Case Study

Rohan is a 23-year-old unmarried male who lives with his parents and works in a private office. 

He was doing well in his job and daily routine until the last 8–9 months when he started feeling excessively worried about germs and contamination. 

It began after he heard about a colleague falling sick frequently, after which he started noticing dirt and “unclean” things everywhere. Gradually, he developed a strong fear that touching door handles, money, lift buttons, or public surfaces would make him ill. 

Because of this, he started washing his hands repeatedly throughout the day, sometimes 20–30 times, and would scrub until his hands became red and painful. If he tried to stop himself, he would feel intense anxiety and restlessness, and his mind would repeatedly tell him “something bad will happen” or “you will get infected.” 

He also started cleaning his phone, wallet, and clothes repeatedly, and avoided shaking hands or eating outside. Over time, these behaviors started affecting his work productivity because he spent a lot of time washing, sanitizing, and repeating actions. 

His family noticed that he became irritable when someone questioned his behavior, and he often asked for reassurance like “Are my hands clean now?” 

He feels embarrassed about his habits but finds it difficult to control them, and he reports that his stress increases when he is under work pressure or when he feels overwhelmed.