OCD vs. Anxiety: What’s the Difference?

Telling the difference between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety can be very confusing, given that both of these mental health conditions have overlapping patterns and can consistently occur together. Yet, recognizing the differences is the first step to finding the right care and support.

Generally speaking, those with OCD tend to engage in repetitive behaviors to cope with their excessive worries or fears. Meanwhile, those with anxiety tend to consistently worry and overthink without developing specific repetitive patterns. If you are curious to understand the differences between OCD and anxiety in detail, then keep reading to uncover the signs, symptoms, and the right treatment options.

How OCD and Anxiety are Different

OCD and anxiety have some overlapping patterns, but there are some key differences you need to be aware of to discern whether you have OCD or anxiety.

The main distinction is that in OCD, you tend to experience repetitive thoughts, sensations, and urges that give rise to intense worries and fears. These are known as obsessions. In order to quell these obsessions, you engage in repetitive behaviors known as compulsions. Albeit, the relief that these compulsions provide is very, very temporary.

For instance, if someone with OCD fears an infection or disease, they might go to extreme lengths to avoid any kind of contact with anybody and engage in behaviors that hinder their daily functioning and quality of life, like washing their hands a hundred or more times a day.

Meanwhile, anxiety is typically not as specific. While people with anxiety disorders tend to worry and overthink, they do not engage in specific behaviors or repetitive patterns.

Now, to give you a gist of the differences between OCD and anxiety:

Category	OCD	Anxiety
Definition	A brain-related mental and behavioral condition.	Refers to symptoms or specific disorders, like generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, and others.
Core Features	Repetitive obsessions leading to compulsive behaviors.	Persistent, overwhelming worry.
Thinking Patterns	Intrusive, repetitive, and distressing thinking patterns.	Persistent anxious thinking patterns that may resemble obsessions.
Behavioral Responses	Repetitive or ritualistic actions to ease anxiety.	No compulsive behavioral responses; focus remains on the anxiety, leading to overthinking.
Effect on Daily Life	Obsessions and time-consuming compulsions can significantly impede everyday life.	Depending on the kind of symptom or anxiety, it can impede everyday life.
Treatment Approaches	Psychotherapy and medication management.	Psychotherapy, medication management, and lifestyle changes.

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How Can I Tell Do I Have OCD or Anxiety?

If you are wondering whether you have OCD or anxiety, we understand how confusing it can be for you. So, here are some of the symptoms you can look into to decipher which of the conditions you may be experiencing.

The commonly recognizable OCD symptoms are as follows:

• Repetitive, persistent thoughts, urges, or images are known as obsessions. These are unwanted, intrusive, and give rise to distress.
• Consistent attempts are made to neutralize the grip of the repetitive, persistent patterns by performing certain mental acts and behaviors (compulsions).
• Repetitive mental acts (praying, counting, and so on) and behaviors (checking, handwashing, and so on) are ritualistic and rigid.
• While the repetitive behaviors are aimed at reducing the obsessions, they are not realistically connected to what they are meant to neutralize and are extreme.
• The obsessions and compulsions are time-consuming and hinder day-to-day functioning.

Meanwhile, the commonly recognizable anxiety symptoms are as follows:

• Excessive anxiety or worry.
• Difficulty in controlling anxieties or worries.
• The focus of the anxiety is not specific but generalized.
• Feeling restless, irritated, and tired while also experiencing sleep disturbances.
• Anxieties can hinder day-to-day functioning and reduce the quality of life, depending on the severity of the condition.

Now, if you note, the anxiety symptoms greatly differ from OCD symptoms in that there are no specific obsessions or ritualistic behaviors a person performs to get rid of the obsessions. In fact, anxiety can be linked with realistic concerns, only it is extremely disproportionate to the concern in question. Meanwhile, OCD is linked with unrealistic thinking, and to a certain extent, the person even realizes their obsessions and/or compulsions are irrational and problematic.

Ultimately, to get a proper diagnosis, you need to reach out to licensed and trained mental health practitioners who will evaluate your signs and symptoms and enable you to overcome these challenges. Remember, both OCD and anxiety are common mental health conditions, and they are very much treatable and manageable. So, if you are experiencing any of these, do not hesitate to reach out.

Is OCD an Anxiety Disorder?

Till now, we have focused only on the difference between OCD and anxiety, but can OCD be an anxiety disorder at the end of the day? To be extremely honest, OCD was indeed categorized as a type of anxiety disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) until very recently, even as per DSM-IV. It is only in the most recent version of DSM (DSM-5), published in 2013, that OCD was separately classified as a brain-related disorder with its own set of diagnostic criteria and treatment options.

The reason for this is that the advancements in the field of mental health have led to the understanding that OCD is significantly different from anxiety. These advancements have greatly impacted the way OCD is treated in clinical settings, leading to vast improvements in treatment outcomes as well.

What are the Treatment Options for OCD and Anxiety?

The major impact of understanding the difference between OCD and anxiety is the creation of specific and comprehensive treatments for OCD and anxiety.

The common OCD treatments are as follows:

• Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP): ERP is a subtype of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and is the first line of treatment for OCD. You are gradually exposed to their obsessions under safe and controlled conditions. The idea is that as you face what you fear, you learn to stop resorting to the compulsive rituals over time.
• Medications: It has been found that there are lower levels of serotonin (a chemical in the brain) among those who struggle with OCD. Therefore, medication management involving selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and antipsychotics becomes crucial to its treatment.
• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS): TMS uses magnetic fields to stimulate brain cells in order to reduce the symptoms of OCD. While it is not the first line of treatment for OCD, it is typically used when other treatments have not been effective.
• Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS): DBS is a surgical way of treating OCD. Electrodes are implanted in certain areas of the brain to produce electrical impulses, and they aid in controlling the atypical compulsive behaviors. DBS is not the go-to treatment for OCD; in fact, it is very rarely used.

The common anxiety treatments are as follows:

• Psychotherapy: CBT and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) are commonly used to treat anxiety disorders. In CBT, you and your therapist identify the negative thinking patterns that are leading to discomforting emotions and behaviors and reshape them into healthier, productive patterns. In ACT, you come to terms with your anxiety and move toward change. Moreover, ERP can also be used in the treatment of anxiety disorders.
• Relaxation: Your therapist will also equip you with relaxation techniques alongside therapy so that you can experience a sense of peace. Common relaxation techniques are deep breathing exercises, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation.
• Medications: Medications are crucial to the treatment of anxiety disorders. Typically, anti-anxiety or anxiolytic medications are used to reduce and manage anxiety-related symptoms. Antidepressants can also be used to uplift and stabilize your mood patterns.

If you believe you or a loved one has OCD or anxiety, then the first step you need to take is to contact a licensed and experienced mental health practitioner who can make a proper diagnosis, which then becomes the basis for personalized care going forward. If left untreated, these conditions can become worse. So, you need to act early and take the first step by extending a hand for help for a brighter, healthier tomorrow.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the difference between OCD and anxiety?

OCD is a mental and behavioral disorder that is characterized by unwanted, intrusive thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead to repetitive mental acts and behaviors (compulsions). Meanwhile, anxiety disorders are characterized by extreme, persistent worries that hinder everyday life.

How do I know if I have OCD or anxiety?

OCD is characterized by specific obsessions leading to repetitive, ritualistic, time-consuming compulsive behaviors. Meanwhile, anxiety is more general, and while anxiety can lead to obsessive thoughts, it is not typically characterized by compulsive behaviors.

Can I have OCD and anxiety?

Yes, it is common to have both OCD and anxiety, as they tend to co-occur very often. In fact, many times, those with OCD will also have an anxiety disorder.

Can OCD be misdiagnosed as anxiety?

Until recently, OCD was considered to be one of the several anxiety disorders. While we know differently now, it is still possible for OCD to be mistaken for anxiety, as it does give rise to extreme anxiety.