New to being diagnosed with OCD with ADHD symptoms

Hi everyone, I was diagnosed with OCD a little over a month ago and I'm confused about a lot of things. Apparently I have symptoms of adhd, but they're only symptoms that overlap with ocd, so I wasn't diagnosed with adhd, but I was diagnosed with ocd. I just don't understand how this works. I'm not saying that my diagnosis was wrong, I would just like some insight on to how it works and what I can do to help ease the symptoms. It's really difficult for me to get work done on time, I can only do work when it's right before the deadline, and this causes me to turn in a lot of work late. I'm constantly late to most things unless I get there way too early. I can't sit still ever, I'm always moving in some way or else I get very uncomfortable. It's just things like this that made me think that I had adhd, but those who diagnosed me said it was ocd. If anyone who has had the same symptoms would like to teach me about it or give me ways to cope with it, I'd be really appreciative.

Anonymous

Date posted: 2y

Another thought popped up in my mind (in regards to being late, losing track of time) — I recently saw a YouTube video explaining time blindness and it made a sense to part of my experiences.

Anonymous

Date posted: 2y

Last thing for now - remembered another detail — the video was made by a psychiatrist (if I’m remembering right — with a calm, matter of fact voice)

Anonymous

Date posted: 2y

Last last thing — I could try to find the link to the video again but I don’t know if it’s against the rules of the discussion board to post links.

Anonymous

Date posted: 2y

It is very confusing! Please take everything with a heavy dose of salt, as I am not an expert. It is my personal understanding that executive functioning challenges are involved with both ADHD and OCD. I’ve read of some executive functioning challenges were mentioned in regards to OCD overlap. Also it appears experts disagree on OCD/ADHD comorbidity percentages in a few articles I’ve read? I read in one article it’s rare while another mentioned 30%. I don’t understand how it all works either especially since I’ve read articles about brain chemicals that go in opposite directions. For me, I was diagnosed with OCD first, and diagnosed with ADHD around a decade later (after previous treatment my OCD was getting more manageable over time, and executive functioning challenges did not improve). One day I hope to have them both under solid management!

Morsinli

Date posted: 2y

You can have both, though adhd is often the one which can give you anxiety while ocd is a kind of coping mechanism for anxiety. Time blindness is quite common for adhd and there are things you can do to make it easier for you. Make a plan for your day ahead, set alarms for your tasks and try not to have too much stuff you have to do (make your priorities right, plan them ahead), so you won’t overload your system. Stress is the sister to anxiety. Take pauses! Time blindness is not a part of ocd as it is with adhd (an executive function a person with adhd can have difficulty with), but more like a consequence of the condition. We are so tired and so busy with ocd going on that we can’t manage routines and time. Recovery from ocd will automatically give you energy to focus better on time management. Adhd will not let you do it the same way - here you have to make some smart strategies to improve your everyday life. Good luck to you!

Katie_kat

Date posted: 25w

I’m newly diagnosed with ocd and frustrated.

I’m newly diagnosed with ocd. I tend to ruminate on mistakes I’ve made or things I’ve said, I often find myself trying to convince myself I’m not everything my ocd tries to convince me I am. I can’t control my thoughts half the time and it’s exhausting. I’ve laid awake night after night researching various diseases and illnesses trying to convince myself I’m not dying I don’t know where my ocd begins and ends at this point. I think I’ve always had a tendency to over think but the health ocd started more recently. I was diagnosed with nerve damage in my face and arthritis and I think that sparked something in me that makes my mind wonder to no end what else is wrong. Recently I’ve been struggling with the feelings of not being enough or being too much, I’ve been looking back at things I’ve done and said in the past and wonder why people put up with my shit and then I spiral into the inevitable chaos of my overthinking. I’m trying really hard to learn how to control it but I’m sure everyone here can attest as to how painful and aggravating that can be. I just needed to vent.

mieppiep

Date posted: 24w

ADHD/ADD and OCD treatment?

Hi! I just discovered a couple of months ago that I have ADHD. I already had the diagnose for ocd and now I also have this diagnose, and I was really wondering how can you treat both? Because I think they fuel each other a lot, especially because I have Pure OCD so it’s mainly mental anxiety and compulsions. How do you treat both, does somebody have experience with this? Is there a good therapy for both of these? Thanks :)

Anonymous

Date posted: 22w

Getting started

Hi all, As of Monday, I received the diagnosis for Pure OCD during an ADHD evaluation. It came as a bit of a shock, despite knowing my grandpa had OCD (according to my parents and extended family, he passed away before I was born). I'm just a little lost on where to go from here. I'm trying to find a therapist who does both OCD and ADHD, but it's surprisingly hard. Do people typically have different therapists for their different needs? I've mentioned it to close friends and family, and when I've tried to discuss what I'm feeling, they said they do it too to a certain extent which is a little invalidating. Anyway, sorry for the ramble. Would anyone be able to give some advice/supportive words for a newly diagnosed college student? Thanks :)

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