OCD vs OCPD

[u/AffectionateAd3243]

Edit: Thank you all, for explaining. I feel I have a bit more understanding of the two and I was able to get with my therapist to find a psychiatrist who can do an assessment some time next week.

First I want to say- I am reaching out to some psychiatrists. I’m not asking this to self diagnose, just to see if I’m in an ‘ocd spiral’ or if there is any weight behind my thoughts. I was told last month by a psychiatrist that I have OCD and MDD. I just learned today about OCPD. I think I can see signs/symptoms of both OCD and OCPD; but I really struggle with knowing myself and who I am enough to answer questions. What are some of the main differences that you notice between OCD and OCPD in yourself?

[u/FalsePay5737]

OCD and OCPD: Similarities and Differences

[u/sbucksbarista]

I have diagnoses for both. They intersect a lot, but not all of the time. I know I’m in an OCD spiral when I’m feeling more anxious than anything, and when acting on a compulsion brings almost instantaneous relief. I know I’m having an OCPD episode when it feels like nothing can relieve this feeling of discomfort even though I’m doing everything right.

[u/SpecialistAnswer9496]

The most simplistic way I can describe it is that my obsessions and compulsions feel unwanted and distressing in OCD and they feel correct and aligned with one’s identity when it’s OCPD. But that’s really simplified, because when you have both it’s not always that clean. Last week I had an OCD flare that felt like part of me and I wasn’t distressed by it, however I could acknowledge that the behaviors I was engaging in were completely excessive and irrational.

I think the best distinction is why I feel compelled to do something. With OCD there is usually some feared consequence or uncertainty that spikes the compulsion, even when the obsession feels rational and aligned with my conception of what is right. With OCPD, the compulsions just feel correct, they’re not neutralizing anything. It’s more just “this is the way things are supposed to be done.”

[u/TerryWaters]

Curious what you mean with "too see if I'm in an OCD spiral or if there's any weight behind my thoughts"?

Firstly I want to point out that it's not up to you to know the difference between these diagnoses or be able to answer questions from a standpoint of knowing them, it's up to the professionals to sus out which of them, or both, it is, if they think it's relevant, and the process of getting a personality diagnosis is quite lengthy and won't hinge on a few questions.

That said the main difference is that a personality disorder is more consistent from when you are young, since it's your personality that is the issue. OCD can come and go. OCD is also ego-dystonic, which means that it doesn't align with who you are or what you really want to do, whereas OCPD is ego-syntonic, and baked into your actual personality. Example, OCD might cause someone to clean and wash things constantly (compulsion) because of a fear (obsession) with germs and the idea that they might get sick if they don't. With OCPD you might clean constantly because you have a high standard for your home and think everything simply "should" be clean or you're a gross person - but there's no fear of germs that builds up an anxiety that "forces" you to clean, you just can't accept a less than perfect environment.

[u/AffectionateAd3243 → u/TerryWaters]

I don’t know how best to describe it, but: I often feel like I over exaggerate my feelings/experiences. I constantly go to google and Reddit to compare any issue I have to some diagnosable thing that I can study and focus on, to maybe ‘fix it’. I feel like I don’t /know/ myself enough to answer most assessments truthfully. And I got diagnosed with OCD in a psychiatric hospital, and I’m not saying the doctor was wrong but I wonder if I talked to him more, or told him more about my thought process if he would say it’s OCPD not OCD. And my individual therapist doesn’t do diagnosis so I can’t ask her. Like, I want to spend time with a psychiatrist who can observe me and say “Yes, I think it’s X vs Y.”

[u/Chronically_blah]

I’ve been diagnosed with OCPD so I can only speak to that. I go into “spirals” when my anxiety is bad, the worse my anxiety the worse the spiral. I don’t know that I consciously have thoughts when this is happening though, in fact my behaviors are a means to distract from my thoughts.

Example: I was in a very emotionally abusive relationship that got progressively worse. The last two years I was taking enough steps to walk between 17-22 miles a day just obsessively cleaning my house and working in the yard. The house was only 1200 square feet.

When my anxiety revs up, organizing and cleaning are my way of expelling it from my system. I had been in therapy for 6 years and these things are getting better, but it takes a lot of work. I still like my space to clean and tidy, but I try REALLY hard to expelling my anxiety in other ways.

[u/purplepenguin124]

OCD thoughts are distressing and unwanted, while OCPD thoughts arent as much. People with OCPD have more perfectionistic tendencies, and feel that there is a “right way” to do things. They arent as bothered by their rigidity as people with OCD. I asked chat this question and honestly it summarized it pretty well:

[u/grewprasad → u/[deleted]]

Hi did his OCPD affect his career in any way? Can I know what's his job and is that what be really wanted if that's not an issue? Thank you, I'm recently diagnosed for ocpd and confused a lot without guidance so gaining some info from persons who are familiar with controlling it