What is the Difference between OCD and Anxiety?
Ever wondered how anxiety symptoms and OCD symptoms differ?
While Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) have some overlapping symptoms, there are key differences which dictate the course of treatment including medication and psychotherapy choices.
Both OCD and GAD include uncontrollable worry.
However, OCD involves an intrusive experience (e.g., thought, image) followed by a compulsive response to “get rid” of the intrusion. GAD, however, manifests as worry about worry, rather than a worry followed by a specific response. Also, GAD tends to focus on worry about many different things, while OCD tends to show up in more particular and specific ways (e.g., scrupulosity, harm, contamination).
Understanding the difference between OCD and GAD can help you find a correct diagnosis and treatment.
Symptoms of OCD
The DSM-5 highlights the existence of obsessions and compulsions paired with significant distress and impairment. Obsessions are characterized by the following:
Persistent, intrusive thoughts, impulses, or images: These intrusive thoughts continue to pop up and cause marked distress. The thoughts, impulses, or images are not simply excessive worries about real-life problems.
Attempts to ignore or suppress: Effort to move away from the distress associated with the intrusion.
Repetitive behaviors or mental acts: This includes repeated actions or mental rituals that someone needs to perform in response to the intrusion.
Aimed at preventing or reducing distress: The function of these compulsions is to soothe or prevent a feared event from happening.
Further diagnostic considerations specifically for OCD include the following:
Time Consuming: The obsessions or compulsions are time consuming. This means the behaviors take at least an hour or more each day. Or obsessions or compulsions cause stress or impairment in functioning (e.g., social, occupational).
Can’t Be Attributed to Another Factor: The difficulty is not due to the physical effects of a substance or another medical condition.
An Obsessive Process does not Equal an Anxious Process
In previous versions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), both OCD and GAD were subsumed under the category of anxiety disorders.
However, in the most recent version of the DSM (DSM-5), GAD is an anxiety disorder while OCD is categorized under Obsessive and Compulsive Related Disorders.
Comparing GAD and OCD
Nature of Distress
Distress in OCD is focused on specific unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and paired with rituals to alleviate the anxiety
GAD distress is generalized and pervasive. GAD is not linked with specific beliefs or behaviors. Rather, GAD distress focuses on excessive worry about many different aspects of life.
Focus of Symptoms
The main symptoms of OCD are obsessions and compulsions. Symptom presentation shows a dance between recurrent intrusive experiences and repetitive rituals in response to someone’s distressing experience.
The main symptoms in GAD is chronic and pervasive worry about various aspects of life. Symptom presentation includes excessive and uncontrollable worry which impacts functional impairment.
Types of Behaviors
OCD behaviors are repetitive and ritualized. They can be observable behaviors (e.g., handwashing, reassurance seeking) or mental acts (e.g., counting, undoing a thought).
People with GAD may also engage in ‘safety’ behaviors to cope with anxiety. However, these behaviors aren’t ritualistic like behaviors seen in OCD.
Impact on Functioning
OCD is time consuming and often interferes with quality of life. OCD can lead people to struggle completing tasks, retaining employment, or maintaining relationships.
GAD’s typically impacts people’s ability to make decisions and manage responsibilities.
Want More Information?
When it comes to mental health conditions, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are often discussed, yet they are frequently misunderstood. Both involve anxiety, but they manifest in distinct ways and require different approaches for effective management.
OCD is very targeted and often shows up in patterns, while GAD is more general and can show up differently or at different times. Thoughts of worry or fear are still at the root of both but how the fear shows up, the circumstances of when it shows up, and the reaction to the fear is different.
Understanding these distinctions can help in seeking appropriate treatment and support. Both conditions benefit from professional intervention, including therapy and, in some cases, medication. If you or someone you know is struggling with symptoms of OCD or GAD, reach out to learn more and start experiencing relief today.