How Are Anxiety Disorder and OCD Related?

Highlights

• Even though they share symptoms like intrusive thoughts, severe distress, and avoidant behavior, anxiety disorders and OCD are two different mental health conditions.
• Because of the distress that their obsessions and compulsions cause, people with OCD may experience anxiety.
• An anxiety disorder is frequently the co-occurring mental health condition that 90% of people with OCD ⁽¹⁾  have.
• People with OCD spend more than an hour a day with unrealistic, repetitive thoughts. On the other hand, thoughts in anxiety disorders are associated with intense worry and fear, frequently regarding situations that are realistic.

Persistent, distressing thoughts are beginning to disrupt your everyday routine. OCD and anxiety are two mental health conditions that appear in your research findings. But here’s the problem: how can you tell a healthcare provider about your experiences more clearly and distinguish between them? This post will go over these two conditions, provide a detailed comparison, address your queries, and suggest next steps.

OCD: What Is It?

The abbreviation for obsessive-compulsive disorder is OCD. ⁽²⁾ The following characteristics set this mental illness apart:

• Obsessions are persistent, intrusive thoughts, desires, or mental images that could result in
• Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental images.

Intrusive thoughts: what are they? They are unwanted thoughts that are distressing, difficult to control, and lack a clear goal.

The person’s obsessive intrusive thoughts are typically the cause of the compulsions. These recurring actions or images in the mind are used by OCD sufferers to alleviate anxiety and distress.

• Remove the anxiety brought on by the obsessions
• Avoid a feared outcome.

According to estimates, two out of every 100 people ⁽³⁾  worldwide will experience OCD at some point in their lives.

1. possess compulsions, obsessions, or both.

a. The definition of an obsession is

i. recurring ideas, cravings, or visuals that are perceived as intrusive or undesired at some point during the disturbance and that, for the majority of people, cause significant anxiety or distress.
ii. Such thoughts, urges, or images are either ignored or suppressed, or they are neutralized by some action or thought (i.e., by performing a compulsion).

b. The definition of compulsions is

i. repetitive actions (like washing hands, placing orders, and checking) or mental processes (like praying, counting, or silently repeating words) that someone feels compelled to carry out because of an obsession or in accordance with strict regulations.
ii. The actions or thoughts are intended to avoid or lessen distress or to stop a situation or event that is feared. However, these actions or thoughts are either obviously excessive or have no realistic connection to what they are intended to counteract or prevent.

2. The compulsions or obsessions are time-consuming (taking more than an hour a day, for example), or they impair social, occupational, or other critical areas of functioning or cause clinically significant distress.

3. The symptoms of another mental illness do not provide a more compelling explanation for the disturbance.

Obsessive thought examples include : ⁽⁴⁾

• Fear of getting contaminated
• Fear of loved ones hurting you
• Fear of hurting those you love
• Fear of losing something significant
• Fear of criminal activity
• blasphemous ideas
• Unsuitable thoughts of aggression or sexuality
• Unimportant words, sounds, pictures, or music

Examples of repetitive compulsive behaviors include:

• Cleaning your hands
• Taking a shower
• Examining windows and locks
• Setting everything up
• Looking for approval
• Using sets for counting
• Rituals in the mind ⁽⁵⁾

What Is Anxiety?

A common emotional state associated with fear ⁽⁶⁾  is anxiety. Your body’s natural response to perceived danger is fear, which can set off the fight-or-flight response. You may perceive the danger as real or imagined.

Anxiety is a natural emotion that your body and brain use to keep you alert and secure. Anxiety is typically mild and transient, but when severe worry and fear become incapacitating and interfere with day-to-day functioning, it may be a symptom of an anxiety disorder.

Disorders of Anxiety

Anxiety disorders affect up to thirty percent of adults  at some point in their lives, making them the most prevalent mental health diseases. There are numerous types of anxiety disorders:

• GAD, or generalized anxiety disorder ⁽⁷⁾, is among the most prevalent mental health disorders. Concerns about commonplace matters, such as relationships ⁽⁸⁾ or employment, manifest as a persistent sense of overwhelm.
• A strong fear of being judged in social settings is a symptom of a social anxiety disorder.
• People who experience regular, unplanned panic attacks and constantly worry about having another one are said to have panic disorder ⁽⁹⁾.
• When someone has a specific phobia ⁽¹⁰⁾, they are afraid of a particular thing or circumstance, such as spiders, heights, or small areas.
• Additional anxiety disorders brought on by particular drugs or health issues.

So where does the conflation of anxiety and OCD occur?

Would it be possible to Mistake OCD for Anxiety?

OCD was once categorized as an anxiety disorder by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). They share significant similarities.

The 2013 DSM-5 guidelines now classify patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder as having obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs). These disorders include ⁽¹¹⁾ :

• OCD
• Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental illness in which a person experiences anxiety and dysfunction due to an obsession with perceived physical imperfections.
• Hoarders can’t let go of their possessions, which causes a lot of clutter and makes daily life hard.
• Trichotillomania: Also referred to as a hair-pulling disorder, this condition is characterized by an insatiable need to pull out one’s hair, which can lead to distress and hair loss.
• Skin-picking disorder, also known as excoriation, causes obsessive picking, scarring, and the ensuing misery.
• Drugs or substances can cause obsessive-compulsive disorder and associated conditions.

Let’s examine the relationship between OCD and anxiety disorders in more detail.

Similar Symptoms

The symptoms of anxiety disorders and OCD overlap:

• Anxiety symptoms may arise from the distress that obsessions and compulsions create.
• One of the classic signs of OCD is intrusive thoughts, which can occur in people with anxiety disorders. These unwelcome ideas may disturb them, but they are less frequent and time-consuming than in OCD.
• People with anxiety and OCD both struggle to focus and experience mood swings.
• Both of these mental health ⁽¹²⁾ conditions are characterized by a tendency to avoid events that provoke them.

Would it be possible to Have Both?

Unbelievably, co-occurring anxiety disorders ⁽¹³⁾  are widespread in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorders. For two to six out of ten people, this estimate is accurate.

Could you please let me know what other possibilities there might be, aside from OCD or an anxiety disorder?

Significant distress, avoidant behavior, and intrusive thoughts may also be symptoms of other mental illnesses. These could include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder ⁽¹⁴⁾ (PTSD). Additionally, symptoms that resemble OCD and anxiety may be caused by medical conditions such as thyroid issues, vitamin deficiencies, and brain diseases.

For this reason, seeking a diagnosis from a healthcare professional is essential; internet research falls short when it affects one’s daily life.

Important Distinctions Between Anxiety Disorders and OCD

Given how similar they are, how can one determine if they have an anxiety condition or OCD? Only a trained healthcare professional can evaluate your symptoms and make a diagnosis. Knowing the differences can help you have a more thorough consultation.

Let’s divide it into smaller, more manageable parts.

Character of Thoughts

Despite the fact that both diseases may result in intrusive thoughts, a comparison of their fundamental characteristics reveals that

• Two kinds of ideas are present in OCD sufferers:
  • Recurring, unwelcome, and repetitive obsessive thoughts that are also unreasonable or illogical can be problematic. Through compulsions, a person may attempt to ignore or eliminate those ideas.
  • mental behaviors that people feel compelled to perform in reaction to an obsessive idea or compulsive thoughts.
• Anxiety disorders are characterized by distressing thoughts associated with excessive fear or worry. They are frequently connected to actual experiences.

Let’s examine behavioral differences next.

Actions

Compulsive actions are a hallmark of OCD. These are recurring actions that someone feels compelled to carry out in reaction to an obsessional notion. Such acts are typically extravagant and impractical, yet they are believed to alleviate misery or avoid a feared outcome.

Conversely, anxiety disorders cause actions that are a reaction to dread or worry. This could mean avoiding situations that make you anxious, like parties if you have social anxiety or tight spaces or heights if you have a phobia. Anxiety disorders can show up as physical symptoms, such as panic episodes brought on by the fight-or-flight reaction.

Triggers

Each disease’s triggers can be separated into two categories: those that exacerbate the condition as a whole and those that elicit particular ideas and actions.

Does Overthinking Indicate Anxiety or OCD?

Anxiety disorders and OCD both fall under the general category of overthinking. OCD is associated with recurrent obsessive thoughts that compel a person to engage in compulsions for relaxation. Anxiety disorders can cause people to overthink and worry about things that might actually happen, but they struggle to stop or even manage these thoughts for extended periods of time.

Table of Summary: Anxiety Disorders vs. OCD

Alternatives for Treatment

Some treatments for OCD and anxiety share similarities, such as the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy or SSRIs for both conditions in certain situations. Nonetheless, these two broad treatment categories have different recommendations. Therefore, for a precise diagnosis and a customized treatment plan, speaking with a healthcare professional is crucial.

Regarding Anxiety Disorders

You should see a doctor if worry interferes with your ability to function on a daily basis. They may prescribe medication ⁽¹⁸⁾ or suggest therapy.

Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment

This kind of talk therapy focuses on identifying and altering thought patterns that cause anxiety to change behaviors. Teachers may teach two methods: progressive relaxation and mindfulness.

Drugs

As part of your treatment plan for anxiety disorders, your doctor may recommend the following medications:

• Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) include duloxetine and venlafaxine, while selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) include fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram, fluvoxamine, and paroxetine. For anxiety disorders, these two classes are regarded as first-line maintenance treatments.
• Although benzodiazepines ⁽¹⁹⁾, such as diazepam and clonazepam, can be useful during an anxiety crisis, their use should typically be limited to brief periods due to the possibility of addiction.
• By blocking adrenaline, beta-blockers stop the fight-or-flight response’s physical manifestations, including flushing, sweating, palpitations, and tremors.

Regarding OCD

It may be necessary to use both medication and therapy to treat OCD.

Therapy for Exposure and Response Prevention

The first line  ⁽²⁰⁾ of treatment for OCD is exposure and response prevention therapy, a subtype of cognitive behavior therapy.

This therapy involves exposing OCD sufferers to the obsession trigger (such as dirt) gradually before a licensed therapist assists them in refraining from a compulsive response or ritual (such as washing their hands). They eventually come to the realization that there is no dreaded consequence if they stop engaging in the compulsive behavior.

Drugs

If OCD medication is required, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the first option. In the United States, fluoxetine, sertraline, escitalopram, fluvoxamine, and paroxetine are SSRIs that are effective ⁽²¹⁾ for treating OCD. Citalopram, another SSRI frequently used for depression and anxiety, is not used for OCD because the dosage needed is too high.

To manage OCD, significantly higher dosages ⁽²²⁾ are necessary compared to SSRI treatment for anxiety disorders, and their effectiveness typically takes six to twelve weeks to manifest. If your doctor prescribes medication to treat OCD, always take it as directed, never take more than the recommended amount, and let them know if you experience any negative side effects. ⁽²³⁾

In conclusion

Getting a professional opinion is crucial to determining the best course of treatment because the relationship and difference between OCD and anxiety disorders are complicated.

With just a few clicks, schedule an online appointment at Lillie’s Friends ⁽²⁴⁾ and soon be in contact with a qualified healthcare professional.