# GAD or OCD?



## supreme.mugwump (Mar 13, 2009)

I have GAD. I also do some pretty odd things and have intrusive/obsessive type thoughts. It's not the main problem, but I'm curious now because I brought them up with my psychologist a while ago and he said that it was probably related to my GAD rather than being OCD. To give some examples, I do things like turning light switches on and off three times, doing things in particular orders, checking things, thinking that I need to do something (e.g. turn off the light) before the clock changes to a particular number, counting, not stepping on bumps/lines/cracks etc. I feel that something really bad will happen if I don't do these things. I don't do these things all the time, and it's not really severe or anything, but I am wondering how/if this could be related to GAD? I suppose I could always ask the psychologist, but that's more scary than posting here


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## AussiePea (Mar 27, 2007)

I do similar things but I don't feel it's related to my anxiety at all, just weird superstitious things. For example when I turn off a tv it must always be on channel 10 and volume on anything must always be multiples of 10. just weird crap where if I don't follow it like you something bad will happen or I will have terrible luck etc.


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## bcarroll (Mar 28, 2009)

I don't believe that those behaviors are related to GAD. With your general anxiety, what types of things do worry about and what are your main symptoms?

Here are the diagnostic criteria for both OCD and GAD.

OCD
The Quick Reference to the diagnostic criteria from DSM-IV-TR (2000)[4] states six characteristics of obsessions and compulsions:

Obsessions
1.Recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced as intrusive and that cause marked anxiety or distress.
2.The thoughts, impulses, or images are not simply excessive worries about real-life problems.
3.The person attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, impulses, or images, or to neutralize them with some other thought or action.
4.The person recognizes that the obsessional thoughts, impulses, or images are a product of his or her own mind, and are not based in reality.
Compulsions
1.Repetitive behaviors or mental acts that the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession, or according to rules that must be applied rigidly.
2.The behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing distress or preventing some dreaded event or situation; however, these behaviors or mental acts are not actually connected to the issue, or they are excessive.
In addition to these criteria, at some point during the course of the disorder, the individual must realize that his/her obsessions or compulsions are unreasonable or excessive. Moreover, the obsessions or compulsions must be time-consuming (taking up more than one hour per day), cause distress, or cause impairment in social, occupational, or school functioning.[4] OCD often causes feelings similar to those of depression

GAD
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV-Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR), the following criteria must be met for a person to be diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

1.Excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation), occurring more days than not for at least six months, about a number of events or activities (such as work or school performance).
2.The person finds it difficult to control the worry.
3.The anxiety and worry are associated with three (or more) of the following six symptoms (with at least some symptoms present for more days than not for the past 6 months). Note: Only one item is required in children. 
1.restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge
2.being easily fatigued
3.irritability
4.muscle tension
5.difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless unsatisfying sleep
6.difficulty concentrating or the mind going blank
Symptoms can also include nausea, vomiting, and chronic stomach aches.

1.The focus of the anxiety and worry is not confined to features of an Axis I disorder, e.g., the anxiety or worry is not about having a panic attack (as in panic disorder), being embarrassed in public (as in social phobia), being away from home or close relatives (as in Separation Anxiety Disorder), gaining weight (as in anorexia nervosa), having multiple physical complaints (as in somatization disorder), or having a serious illness (as in hypochondriasis), and the anxiety and worry do not occur exclusively during post-traumatic stress disorder.
2.The anxiety, worry, or physical symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
3.The disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., hyperthyroidism) and does not occur exclusively during a Mood Disorder, a Psychotic Disorder, or a Pervasive Developmental Disorder.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

supreme.mugwump said:


> ...turning light switches on and off three times, doing things in particular orders, checking things, thinking that I need to do something (e.g. turn off the light) before the clock changes to a particular number, counting, not stepping on bumps/lines/cracks etc. I feel that something really bad will happen if I don't do these things....


Yes, those are definitely examples of OCD behaviors. Checking things repeatedly is a classic OCD symptom (not everyone with OCD does it, though it's a very common one). I remember how I used to repeatedly check that the car doors were locked. I stop checking with such vigor after I managed to break the driver's door handle off a Toyota a decade ago. Now one check of doors is enough for me.

For me, I have to wonder if I have GAD or if any non-SA worries would really be covered by OCD. When I worry I tend to do so obsessively and there is a clear family history of OCD.


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## supreme.mugwump (Mar 13, 2009)

bcarroll said:


> I don't believe that those behaviors are related to GAD. With your general anxiety, what types of things do worry about and what are your main symptoms?


It's hard to start describing what I worry about! EVERYTHING! Suppose that's why it's 'generalised' . E.g. work, social things, exercise, diet, health, money, organising things, tidyness, order, whether to buy something or not, what I will eat for dinner, how to organise my day, where to park, what to wear....the list goes on! I suppose maybe the psychologist might have said the obsessive things are related to GAD because they don't really interfere with everyday life, and don't warrant a diagnosis of OCD?? There is a difference between the worries, though, because I the ones where I want to do stupid things (e.g. turn lights on and off) aren't based on anything realistic or specific.


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