OCD vs. Anxiety: Key Differences, Similarities, and Different Treatments

Mental health disorders are affecting millions of people around the globe. Two mental health conditions are misunderstood most of the time these are Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD vs Anxiety Disorders. As obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety disorder both share some symptoms like fear, worry and physical tension.

In this article we will explore about OCD and anxiety in detail. We will tell you about unwanted obsessive thoughts the compulsions or actions in result of these obsessive thoughts. How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy, and Compulsive Therapy can be helpful in treating Anxiety disorder, OCD and Depression etc. Here we will tell you how these therapeutic treatments will help you improve daily life relationship and work.

What Is OCD?

OCD Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental health condition in which person have obsessive thoughts which leads repetitive behaviors called compulsions.

• Obsessions:

Obsessions arerepetitive and intrusive thoughts and images. These repetitive thoughts and urges cause distress in daily life functions for example doubt of safety, fear of contamination and unwanted thoughts of harming others.

• Compulsions:

Compulsions arerepetitive behaviors that a person do again and again to reduce anxiety which arises in result of obsessions. For example washing hands again and again, checking locks and repeat some phrases mentally.

OCD is a severe mental health condition which disturbs daily work activities, relationship and day to day functioning of person. These compulsive acts consume even hours of daily time of an individual.

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety Disorders are also a category of mental health disorders. Anxiety involves many physical symptoms like palpitation, raise in sympathetic mechanism, and excessive worry. In OCD person have some specific obsessions and compulsions while in anxiety disorder the stressors and fears are general. Anxiety have some common types including generalized anxiety. GAD involves worries relevant to everyday life like health, finance and performance at work.

OCD vs Anxiety: The Key Differences

There are many key differences if you compare OCD vs Anxiety. You can differentiate both of them on the basis of processes, symptoms and though processes which are causing certain behaviors.

Here you can find the differences between the thoughts processes and behavior differences of Anxiety and OCD.

1. Thoughts Processes

• OCD:

In OCD you have intrusive thoughts which are unwanted and these intrusive are unrealistic as well. For example a person have unrealistic thoughts of harming any loved one, or being harmed by anything.

• Anxiety:

In anxiety you can have excessive worry. This excessive worry can be about any realist concern like about losing job or failing exam.

2. Responses

• OCD:

In OCD certain repetitive acts called compulsions are performed in result of obsessive thoughts. These compulsions are performed to neutralize the obsessive thoughts.

• Anxiety:

In anxiety certain avoidance behaviors are performed different from compulsive rituals.

3. Emotional Impact

• OCD:

In OCD irrational obsessions cause excessive distress. As these obsessions are irrational and you cannot feel compelled until act on compulsions.

• Anxiety:

Anxiety causes tension and fear regarding real life events. This fear and tension is without having compulsions.

4. Symptoms

• OCD:

OCD have physical symptoms that revolve around obsessive thoughts. These obsessive thoughts cause physical tension and stress.

• Anxiety:

In anxiety the physical symptoms that appear include sweating, headaches, rapid heartbeat and muscle tightness.

How OCD & Anxiety Overlap?

There are differences in symptoms of OCD and anxiety but some symptoms of both overlap. The similarities shared by OCD and Anxiety are:

• Anxiety and OCD have fear and worry of something.
• Both Anxiety and OCD affect daily life work and relationship.
• In OCD and Anxiety avoidance behaviors are shown.
• Both OCD and Anxiety are mental health conditions and also co-occur in same person.

So, by understanding the difference between symptoms of OCD vs Anxiety, you can identify the right treatment plan for you.

How a Mental Health Professional Diagnose?

Since OCD vs Anxiety overlap, a mental health professional can help you to better diagnose either you are having OCD or Anxiety.

The OCD vs Anxiety assessment process include:

• By reviewing your intrusive thoughts of OCD.
• By reviewing physical signs of anxiety.
• By understanding how physical signs of anxiety and intrusive thoughts affect work and relationships.
• By determining whether these physical signs are due to irrational worry or due to unrealistic obsessions.

Effective Treatments

When a mental health professional have a clear diagnosis it allow for perform appropriate therapeutic treatment. Therapeutic treatments provided in such condition can be ERP or CBT.

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT is considered as one of the most effective treatment for many psychotic and neurotic disorders including OCD and Anxiety. CBT helps you to recognize your negative thought patters and how you can replace these thoughts with healthier coping strategies. CBT can be used for the treatment of Anxiety, Depression, OCD and Personality disorders.

• For the treatment of OCD, the focus of Cognitive behavioral therapy is to challenge obsessive thoughts and to reduce compulsive behaviors caused by obsessive thoughts.
• For the treatment of Anxiety, Cognitive behavioral therapy will help you manage unrealistic and excessive worries. CBT teach relaxation techniques to reduce physical symptoms of anxiety.

2. Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy

Exposure response therapy is specialized form of CBT, used for the treatment of OCD. In exposure people are exposed with their anxiety or OCD fears it is like touching a doorknob. Over the time the response caused by negative or compulsive thoughts is overcome by reducing the power of disturbing and intrusive thoughts. ERP teaches and trains brain that obsessive thoughts are unnecessary and illogical.

3. Medications

Medications are must to give in some worse cases of anxiety and OCD this include Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. These medications are given to regulate brain chemistry and reduce the intensity of intrusive thoughts.

4. Self-Care Strategies

Managing OCD vs Anxiety demands different self-care strategies and changes in life style as well. These self-care strategies include:

• Practicing mindfulness exercises to manage unwanted obtrusive thoughts.
• Do regular exercise which will help to reduce stress symptoms.
• Improve relationships as support system improves mental health.

Living with OCD vs Anxiety

As we have discussed in detail that people with OCD, have obsessive thoughts in their daily life. They try to overcome these obsessive thoughts by compulsive behaviors. These compulsive behaviors interfere with daily life functioning of the individual.

If we talk about anxiety, so the excessive worries arise physical tension. In anxiety disorder these excessive worries disturbs your daily life functions and relationships.