OCD from A to Z: 11 different themes to know

OCD can show up in countless ways, each with their own unique challenges. For some, it can take the form of relationship doubts that strain their connections with loved ones. For others, it might be a relentless need for everything to be “just right.” There are even variations within OCD subtypes. Take Contamination OCD, for instance: It can focus on fears of germs, but it can also focus on the emotional discomfort of sitting where someone you dislike has been. And that’s just scratching the surface, since it’s also possible to have symptoms that don’t fit into any specific subtype. In the latest OCD Deep Dive, Dr. Patrick McGrath takes a closer look at the diversity of OCD and reveals what its many forms have in common: They’re all treatable, which means they don’t have to rule your life forever. Watch Dr. McGrath break down 11 themes of OCD and share how they can be effectively managed.

RJ 2024

Date posted: 50w

What do you do if you think your OCD is mimicking bipolar ? I am diagnosed OCD and bipolar but I feel OCD causes my mood changes. Psychiatrist will not listen to me and I have no idea if I should be on lithium.

Pinkyy1017

Date posted: 49w

@RJ 2024 I’m bipolar as well and I think they feed off of each other a lot. The moment I feel sad it’s like a playground for my OCD

racheese

Date posted: 49w

@RJ 2024 Lithium has a lot of terrible side effects and bipolar is easy to misdiagnose because there are a lot of conditions or combinations of conditions that can look like it. I.e. that treatment has a higher risk of making things worse rather than better, so it’s best to look into other possibilities before considering it. Personally, they thought I had bipolar and then it was a combination of these neurological conditions. If you already know that you have OCD, but it doesn’t explain all of your symptoms, then I highly recommend looking into ASD and ADHD because the three of these are highly correlated. I’ve noticed that a correct diagnosis fits so well that it’s surprising because it explains not only the problem you were trying to solve, but also explains extra things you weren’t looking for. If bipolar doesn’t do that for you, it could be that it’s not the answer.

[Deleted]

Date posted: 49w

Comment deleted by user

Pinkyy1017

Date posted: 49w

@Anonymous Perfectionism I’ve learned is just something you like, you like things to be perfect. OCD it HAS to be done how our brain says or else.

Wolfram

Date posted: 49w

There's ocpd which is my ego syntonic from my understanding

racheese

Date posted: 49w

@Anonymous Perfectionism is just a generic term for trying to make things perfect. Everyone is making choices constantly about whether to work towards perfecting something or to disengage and do something else. OCD makes it more difficult to disengage and choose to do something else. How do you know which choice you should make? You don’t. You just keep guessing.

racheese

Date posted: 49w

@Wolfram That is what it says in the current literature. But I think we should all be questioning whether OCPD is actually a lot of people with undiagnosed OCD with co-occurring conditions that make it harder to recognize. We already know that OCD is under-diagnosed and takes an average of 14 years to figure out. What’s happening to those people in the meantime? What do they think OCD is before they figure it out?

Wolfram

Date posted: 49w

@racheese I thought it was an endless amount of things before I knew. 27 years undiagnosed because I only knew the stereotyped symptoms 😟

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