Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders are often confused with one another. Both can make daily life mentally exhausting, but they have important differences. So, how do you know if what you’re experiencing is OCD or anxiety? And what can you do about it?
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural response to stress, danger, or uncertainty. It’s what makes you nervous before a big presentation or keeps you alert in risky situations. But when anxiety becomes overwhelming and regularly interferes with daily life, it may be considered a disorder.
Examples include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and phobias. While each has unique features, common symptoms include:
- Constant fear or concern about everyday life
- Physical symptoms, such as increased heart rate, sweating, trembling, dizziness, or an upset stomach
- Feeling on edge, unable to relax, or having difficulty concentrating
- Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep due to racing thoughts
- Avoiding situations that trigger anxiety, such as social gatherings or public speaking
What Is OCD?
OCD is a mental health condition that involves intrusive, unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors. Unlike general anxiety, which is often tied to real-life concerns, OCD revolves around irrational fears and the need to ease distress through compulsions.
Here are the classic signs of OCD:
- Obsessions are intrusive, distressing thoughts, images, or urges that feel impossible to ignore. These can be fears of contamination, harming others, or making a life-altering mistake.
- Compulsions are repetitive actions or mental rituals performed to relieve anxiety. These might include excessive handwashing, checking locks repeatedly, counting, or silently repeating phrases. These time-consuming behaviors can take up hours of the day and interfere with daily activities.
The cycle of obsessions and compulsions causes extreme distress and often disrupts personal, social, and work life.
OCD vs. Anxiety: How to Tell the Difference
Although OCD and anxiety disorders share similarities, these key differences set them apart:
- The source of anxiety: Anxiety disorders involve excessive worry about real-life situations, such as work, relationships, or health. OCD involves irrational obsessions that lead to compulsive behaviors. One thought might be, “My house will burn down if I don’t make sure the stove is turned off 10 times before leaving.”
- Behavioral responses: People with anxiety disorders typically manage fears through avoidance or self-reassurance. Those with OCD engage in compulsions to relieve distress, even when they know these actions aren’t logical.
- The role of distressing thoughts: With anxiety, any obsessive thoughts are based on reality, such as the fear of messing up a work presentation. In OCD, intrusive thoughts are irrational and extreme, like, “What if I accidentally poison my family by touching the fridge handle without washing my hands first?”
How OCD Can Be Mistaken for Anxiety
Because OCD causes intense anxiety, it’s easy to mistake it for a generalized anxiety disorder. Many people with OCD initially seek treatment for anxiety without realizing their compulsions are a core part of the problem.
For example, someone with OCD-related contamination fears might believe they’re simply a “germaphobe.” Or a person with intrusive thoughts about harming a loved one might mistake them for relationship stress. Unfortunately, this can lead to misdiagnosis and ineffective treatment.
Can You Have Both OCD and an Anxiety Disorder?
Yes! In fact, research shows that a majority of people with OCD also have an anxiety disorder. It’s common for conditions like GAD, social anxiety, and panic disorder to coexist with OCD.
For example, someone might have compulsive rituals around cleanliness (a symptom of OCD) but also experience extreme fear in social settings (a sign of social anxiety disorder). Because these conditions often overlap, it’s important to get a proper diagnosis from a mental health professional who understands the difference between OCD and anxiety.
Treatment Options
The good news is that both OCD and anxiety disorders are highly treatable. They require slightly different approaches, but effective treatments can garner excellent results.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
CBT is the gold standard for treating both OCD and anxiety disorders. This therapy helps you identify negative thought patterns and develop healthier coping mechanisms.
For anxiety disorders, CBT focuses on challenging irrational fears and reducing avoidance behaviors. For OCD, a specialized form of CBT called exposure and response prevention (ERP) is used.
Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD
ERP is a highly effective treatment designed specifically for OCD. It involves gradual exposure to feared situations while resisting compulsive behaviors. Over time, this retrains the brain to tolerate anxiety and allow the distress to fade on its own without relying on compulsions.
For example, if someone with OCD fears germs and compulsively washes their hands, ERP might involve touching a doorknob without immediately washing. This process, done with professional guidance, helps break the cycle of obsessions and compulsions.
Medication
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed for both OCD and anxiety disorders. Medications like fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), and fluvoxamine (Luvox) help regulate serotonin levels and reduce symptoms.
SSRIs are often prescribed at higher doses for OCD than for anxiety. In some cases, doctors may prescribe multiple medications for treatment-resistant OCD.
Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques
While not a cure, mindfulness practices help manage symptoms. Meditation, deep breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation reduce anxiety and improve emotional regulation.
Lifestyle Changes
Certain lifestyle adjustments may improve symptoms of OCD and anxiety. Recommendations include exercising regularly to improve mood, eating a balanced diet low in caffeine and processed foods, and prioritizing a consistent sleep schedule.
Get the Right Treatment at Mindwell Urgent Care
Are you struggling with OCD, anxiety, or both? Mindwell Urgent Care provides expert mental health support when you need it most. Unlike traditional providers with lengthy waitlists, we offer urgent appointments for pressing mental health concerns.
Our board-certified providers offer in-person visits in Dallas, TX, as well as virtual telepsychiatric care for residents of Texas, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Florida, and Kansas. Whether you need an evaluation, a personalized treatment plan, or ongoing care, we’re here to help. Contact us today to take the first step toward relief.