Why is OCD not considered a side effect of GAD? I haven't met a person with OCD who didn't have anxiety and vice versa. There are too many conditions describing very similar symptoms for it to be a mere coincidence. Time for mental health to come into the 21st century. Side note:not sure if anyone has heard of ketamine infusion therapy or the new nasal spray. If you have or have tried it, I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts. Thanks.

I don’t know what you want us to say dude. It kinda seems as if you already made your mind up on where you stand so I’m not really sure what you expect the community to add other than that the disorders can occur separately. Maybe there’s a chance you’re right and the two are essentially the same but as it stands, the DSM doesn’t technically recognise OCD as an anxiety disorder anymore (it has its own category now with related disorders) and a lot of OCD sufferers (such as myself) don’t fit the criteria for GAD. ??‍♀️

The two can co-occur but they don’t have to go together. Most people I know with GAD don’t experience OCD symptoms.

You can develop ocd from gad but not everyone with ocd has gad. Intrusive thoughts come with gad, but they are just anxiety inducing not obsession inducing. My anxiety and ocd go hand in hand, it's either one or the other

Because gad has nothing to do with ocd. I have both and they're not related

How does anyone know they're not related? Have you done the scientific research, have you compared all of the similarities and differences, have you considered OCD as an outlet for those with extreme forms of anxiety? To generalize any disorder is to admit that there is still plenty of information that is unknown about it, and as time goes on, more discoveries and links will be made within the spectrum of mental health disorders, and we'll see how everything connects. Until then, let's refrain from pretending to know anything for absolute certain because, in doing so, you close your mind off to the possibilities of alternatives that could lead you to better answers and a more sustainable way of life. The minute you think you've learned all there is to know, you become unteachable. I don't know about you,but if someone smarter than me comes along with a cure for anxiety/OCD/depression/autism/manic depression tomorrow or a year from now, I'm going to listen to what they have to say,even if it's contrary to what we think we know now, if there's a chance I, or others, could be living a better life. Don't be a static character in your own story.

You kinda just seem annoyed that people aren’t agreeing with your original post tbh. Also, if you wanted opinions on ketamine you should have made a separate post because otherwise people are just going to comment on what they’re most knowledgeable about, which in this case happens to be OCD and GAD. You asked why OCD isn’t considered a side effect and we gave you an answer. What more do you want?

https://ocdla.com/ocd-vs-gad-7071 “People struggling with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) are often misdiagnosed as having other psychological conditions. One of the most common misdiagnoses for this population is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This diagnostic problem arises for two reasons. First, the distinction between OCD and GAD is somewhat vague. And second, many treatment providers have only a limited understanding of the varying ways in which OCD can manifest. While this issue may seem like an esoteric concern to some, making a proper diagnosis is important for those struggling with either condition, as the primary treatment for OCD is different than the treatment for GAD. There are two essential differences between GAD and OCD. First is the nature of the thoughts involved. While unwanted thoughts are central to the diagnosis of both GAD and OCD, the unwanted thoughts experienced by those with GAD tend to focus on common, real-life concerns such as work, school, family, relationships, health, and financial issues. These are issues that most people worry about to some degree, but people with GAD worry about to such an extent as to significantly interfere with their daily functioning.“

I have OCD without GAD. Before I was diagnosed I was convinced that I had GAD because that was the only anxiety disorder I knew about. Despite that, the nature of my fears never truly aligned with GAD so I thought that there was something really wrong with me until I found out that what I actually have is OCD.

I also have OCD, but not GAD. I do experience some symptoms of anxiety but it’s not the same as GAD.

Some people have OCD without GAD, a lot of people have GAD without OCD. I have OCD and some GAD but they do not interact much and are very distinct from each other. You also often treat them differently. Psychologists classify them differently for a reason, they are their own distinct beasts, though they can often co-occur. But a lot of people have more than one mental health disorder anyway. There are related disorders that are considered “OCD spectrum disorders”. This includes things like anorexia nervosa and body dysmorphic disorder, as well as hypochondria I believe. GAD is not classified as one though.

Most mental health issues have overlapping symptoms and no two peoples experience of a mental health issue are exactly the same. These diagnostic terms are more for convenience and to give us the linguistic tools to talk about them more generally. But they’re inherently imprecise.