What other problems are sometimes confused with OCD?
- Some disorders that closely resemble OCD and may respond to some of the same treatments are Trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling), body dysmorphic disorder (imagined ugliness), and habit disorders, such as nail biting or skin picking. While they share superficial similarities, impulse control problems, such as substance abuse, pathological gambling, or compulsive sexual activity, are probably not related to OCD in any substantial way.
- The most common conditions that resemble OCD are the tic disorders (Tourette's disorder and other motor and vocal tic disorders). Tics are involuntary motor behaviors (such as facial grimacing) or vocal behaviors (such as snorting) that often occur in response to a feeling of discomfort. More complex tics, like touching or tapping tics, may closely resemble compulsions. Tics and OCD occur together much more often when the OCD or tics begin during childhood.
- Depression and OCD often occur together in adults, and, less commonly, in children and adolescents. However, unless depression is also present, people with OCD are not generally sad or lacking in pleasure, and people who are depressed but do not have OCD rarely have the kinds of intrusive thoughts that are characteristic of OCD.
- Although stress can make OCD worse, most people with OCD report that the symptoms can come and go on their own. OCD is easy to distinguish from a condition called posttraumatic stress disorder, because OCD is not caused by a terrible event.
- Schizophrenia, delusional disorders, and other psychotic conditions are usually easy to distinguish from OCD. Unlike psychotic individuals, people with OCD continue to have a clear idea of what is real and what is not.
- In children and adolescents, OCD may worsen or cause disruptive behaviors, exaggerate a pre-existing learning disorder, cause problems with attention and concentration, or interfere with learning at school. In many children with OCD, these disruptive behaviors are related to the OCD and will go away when the OCD is successfully treated.
- Individuals with OCD may have substance-abuse problems, sometimes as a result of attempts to self-medicate. Specific treatment for the substance abuse is usually also needed.
- Children and adults with pervasive developmental disorders (autism, Asperger's Disorder) are extremely rigid and compulsive, with stereotyped behaviors that somewhat resemble very severe OCD. However, those with pervasive developmental disorders have extremely severe problems relating to and communicating with other people, which do not occur in OCD.
- Only a small number of those with OCD have the collection of personality traits called Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD). Despite its similar name, OCPD does not involve obsessions and compulsions, but rather is a personality pattern that involves a preoccupation with rules, schedules, and lists; perfectionism; an excessive devotion to work; rigidity; and inflexibility. However, when people have both OCPD and OCD, the successful treatment of the OCD often causes a favorable change in the person's personality.
| Margaret Altemus, M.D. NIMH Jambur V. Ananth, M.D. Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Lee Baer, Ph.D. Massachusetts General Hospital David H. Barlow, Ph.D. Boston University Donald W. Black, M.D. University of Iowa Pierre Blier, M.D. McGill University Maria Lynn Buttolph, M.D. Massachusetts General Hospital Alexander Bystritsky, M.D. UCLA School of Medicine Cheryl Carmin, Ph.D. University of Illinois, Chicago Diane Chambless, Ph.D. University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill David Clark, Ph.D. University of New Brunswick Edwin H. Cook, M.D. University of Chicago Jean Cottraux, M.D. Universiti Lyon, France Jonathan R. T. Davidson, M.D. Duke University Medical Center Pedro Delgado, M.D. University of Arizona, Tucson Paul M. G. Emmelkamp, M.D. University of Groningen Brian A. Fallon, M.D. Columbia University Martine Flament, M.D. La Salpetriere, Pavillon Clerambault Martin Franklin, Ph.D. Allegheny University Mark Freeston, Ph.D. Universiti Laval Randy Frost, Ph.D. Smith College Daniel Geller, M.D. McLean Hospital Wayne K. Goodman, M.D. University of Florida College of Medicine |
Tana A. Grady, M.D. Duke University Medical Center Benjamin Greenberg, M.D. NIMH Daniel Greenberg, M.D. Jerusalem Mental Health Center, Herzog Hospital John H. Greist, M.D. Dean Foundation for Health Research Gregory Hanna, M.D. University of Michigan Medical Center, Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Hospital William A. Hewlett, M.D. Vanderbilt Medical School Eric Hollander, M.D. Mt. Sinai School of Medicine Bruce Hyman, Ph.D. Hollywood, Florida James W. Jefferson, M.D. Dean Foundation for Health Research Michael A. Jenike, M.D. Harvard Medical School David J. Katzelnick, M.D. Dean Foundation for Health Research Suck Won Kim, M.D. University of Minnesota Health Center Lorrin M. Koran, M.D. Stanford Medical Center Michael Kozak, Ph.D. Medical College of Pennsylvania/EPPI James F. Leckman, M.D. Yale University Henrietta L. Leonard, M.D. Brown University Charles Mansueto, Ph.D. Silver Spring, Maryland Isaac Marks, M.D. Institute of Psychiatry, London Arturo Marrero, M.D. Newark Beth Israel Hospital Christopher McDougle, M.D. Yale University School of Medicine Richard McNally, Ph.D. Harvard University Fugen Neziroglu, Ph.D. Institute for Bio-Behavioral Therapy & Research, Great Neck, New York Michele Pato, M.D. SUNY Buffalo, Buffalo General Hospital |
Frederick Penzel, Ph.D. Huntington. New York Katharine A. Phillips, M.D. Butler Hospital Teresa A. Pigott, M.D. University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston C. Alec Pollard, Ph.D. St. Louis University Lawrence Price, M.D. Brown University S. Rachman, Ph.D. University of British Columbia Judith L. Rapoport, M.D. NIMH Steven A. Rasmussen, M.D. Butler Hospital Scott Rauch, M.D. Massachusetts General Hospital Mark A. Riddle, M.D. Johns Hopkins Jerilyn Ross, LICSW The Ross Center for Anxiety & Related Disorders Barbara Rothbaum, Ph.D. Emory University Paul Salkovskis, Ph.D. Warneford Hospital, Oxford University Jeffrey M. Schwartz, M.D. UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute David Spiegel, M.D. Boston University Dan Stein, M.D. University of Stellenbosch, South Africa Gail Steketee, Ph.D. Boston University Susan Swedo, M.D. NIMH Richard Swinson, M.D. Clarke Institute of Psychiatry Barbara Van-Noppen, ACSW Brown University Patricia Van Oppen, Ph.D. Free University of Amsterdam Lorne Warneke, M.D. University of Alberta, Edmonton Jose Yaryura-Tobias, M.D. Institute for Bio-Behavioral Therapy & Research, Great Neck, New York |