What’s your experience with OCD + other dx?

Does anyone have any other mental health disorders and/or neurodivergence on top of your OCD? And if so how do these react with each other in your mind? Do you feel like you need to take unorthodox/ alternative approaches to dealing with ocd because of the other things you have going on? Personally having been diagnosed with adhd and ocd, I have problems deciphering between the two, especially since this is all fairly new to me. so I’m super interested to see about everyone else’s experiences!

savgarcia

Date posted: Yesterday

Hi! I’m in the same boat as you, I still have trouble deciding if it’s ADHD or OCD. I usually check to see what the driving factor is, meaning if I’m feeling on edge because of an intrusive thought or if I’m on edge because my body needs movement or stimulation. I know that sounds very broad but I would narrow down what is the OCD so you can identify those symptoms first. I hope that helped a bit :)

Raven_

Date posted: Yesterday

Yeah, adhd and ocd often co-occur, it’s led to a lot of misdiagnosing. They feed off each other making both worse. I don’t think i can really differentiate the two. Therapy hasn’t really needed me to focus on them individually. Med wise i feel like stimulants help my ocd but i find people get very different experiences in that regard

Rach🐌🪷🤸🏻‍♂️

Date posted: Yesterday

@Raven_ I have noticed for me they do feed off of each other a lot as well!! I guess it makes sense that when my mind is racing, then the obsessive thoughts will feel louder too. It is so validating to have someone else go through something similar and also have struggles with spreading the two. I have also noticed that stimulants help “quiet” my ocd some too since they almost calm my mind down rather than wind me up like they do some people. I think it is SOOO interesting how everyone responds differently to them. I’m still in the trial and error phase of the meditation process with my psych but it is crazy when you finally feel that somewhat of a relief for a few hours and can actually do things lol.

Karotajs-the...

Date posted: Yesterday

I have major depression, generalized anxiety and ocd. Its a tough combo. For me they all feed on eachother.

Spencer Z

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: Yesterday

I'm AuDHD plus OCD. I'm not too familiar with my ADHD stuff (recent dx), but with Autism I have hyperfixations that mix with obsessions. My hyperfixation on psychology can delve into Pure O mental compulsions for instance. I also have interoceptive (or internal/mental) sensory issues, so Pure O also triggers the sensory overload. With treatment, for me it is a priority to have a therapist who is ND-informed, otherwise I don't feel heard a lot of the time.

AllisonRojas

Date posted: Yesterday

@Spencer Z I so relate to what you’re saying about interoceptive sensory issues. I also experience internalized echolalia which at times has become entangled with my OCD

a.lea

Date posted: Yesterday

i was diagnosed with ocd, anxiety, and depression at about age 11. i was not diagnosed with adhd until i was 25, i am now 28 and pursuing an autism diagnosis. even though i was treated for ocd from a young age, the audhd issues went unrecognized and that meant a lot of needs went unmet. i'm still deep into years of burnout from constant masking and still struggling with ocd after many years of therapy and meds. i feel like not enough mental health practitioners understand the overlap and interactions between all these disorders and i have had a very hard time finding ways to cope with them all at once.

Rach🐌🪷🤸🏻‍♂️

Date posted: Yesterday

@a.lea I can relate to this so much, it’s crazy to me how many people get diagnosed so late in life with ADHD - especially women bc it wasn’t “caught” or was misdiagnosed. Adding on other possible diagnosis on top of this I’m sure makes it even more difficult. Keep pushing through and I hope you are able to find the clarity you want!!

AllisonRojas

Date posted: Yesterday

Autism, persistent depressive disorder, and social phobia disorder to go with my OCD 😅 I thank God I found an incredible therapist through NOCD because sorting out what is autism and what is OCD can be soooo tough. And then sometimes they overlap and I have to find those unorthodox approaches to untangle the web. One I’m struggling with right now is that I need to-do lists and schedules in order to function because of my neurodivergence, but my OCD has latched on to that and turned list-making into a compulsion. 🙃

Rach🐌🪷🤸🏻‍♂️

Date posted: Yesterday

@AllisonRojas Wow this sounds so difficult! It’s crazy how so many of our brains are literally constantly at war with itself and sometimes these diagnoses feed off of each other. I hope you’re able to make it past this current speed bump, keep pushing through!

AllisonRojas

Date posted: 22h

@Rach🐌🪷🤸🏻‍♂️ Thank you! I think this whole experience has taught me that people with OCD are some of the strongest people out there! Even when we feel so weak and defeated. It takes a great amount of resilience and fortitude to keep fighting our own brains every day.

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