OCD or OCPD?

[Guest guest]

Hi guys! I have asked my son's psychologist which one we are dealing with, and

he said it really doesn't matter - they are treated the same. But that is not

what I am reading in my search for answers. It seems like my son has OCPD

because he does not recognize his contamination fears/hoarding etc. as

problematic. However, I imagine most kids feel that way because they are so

reluctant to change their behaviors. What I'm reading (specifically, BrainLock)

says that true OCD sufferers hate their obsessions/compulsions but can't stop

doing them. Is this always true with children, though? My son is comforted by

his rituals. He thinks the rest of us are crazy. Thoughts??? Thanks!

[Guest guest]

Hi, just my thoughts on this.

I used to tell my OCD son he could thank my mom for his OCD. I've a bit of OCD

myself. But as I learned more about OCPD (during all that OCD research re my

son), I realized that OCPD is what she had. So maybe with the similarities, it

still is genetic towards OCD.

Anyway, with OCPD I think it's more a rigid thinking, where their way is the

right way, more irritation at others than any anxiety related. Also I think

with OCPD there is more logic to what their OCPD attaches itself to. Like with

contamination, washing hands, there is probably a set routine to having to wash

their hands at certain times, after doing/touching certain things, and more

irritation at not being able too. Where with OCD, I think there is a more

anxious feeling associated with their needing to wash hands or avoid germs,

sometimes/often illogical reasoning as to why, etc.

Hoarding is sort of a " relation " to OCD, can be a problem all to itself. And

though OCPD people may do it, or have a tendency to do it, I don't think it's to

the anxiety type degree that an actual hoarder would have. By the way, my mom

hoarded, which got worse with her elderly age, to the degree you may see on one

of those TV series!

Hmmm...I'm not gifted with the right words, lol, so probably not being very

clear about it. You probably ran across this article about OCD vs OCPD. Even

when I read it, thinking of my mom & OCPD and son with OCD, there are areas that

are confusing/blurry, except that I knew my mom's personality and I know my

son's. That made it much clearer to distinguish between the two with them.

Also I think with OCPD it isn't something that " just happens " with a person at

some point; any seemingly sudden behaviors they start doing that increases and

causes disruption, gets out of hand, leans towards OCD.

http://www.ocdonline.com/articlephillipson6.php

OCPD don't see their behaviors/thinking as problems, but with OCD people can

sometimes seem comfortable with some of their behaviors too. Some may not have

anxiety attached to them that we parents can see, but it's still OCD. -- LOL,

that's about as clear as mud, right?

Again, just some random thoughts on it.

>

> Hi guys! I have asked my son's psychologist which one we are dealing with,

and he said it really doesn't matter - they are treated the same. But that is

not what I am reading in my search for answers. It seems like my son has OCPD

because he does not recognize his contamination fears/hoarding etc. as

problematic. However, I imagine

[Guest guest]

> >

> > Hi guys! I have asked my son's psychologist which one we are dealing with,

and he said it really doesn't matter - they are treated the same. But that is

not what I am reading in my search for answers. It seems like my son has OCPD

because he does not recognize his contamination fears/hoarding etc. as

problematic. However, I imagine

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Terry. My mom was just so set in her thinking of how things should be

done, how others should act/behave, not a lot of patience (unless she was

teaching us how to do something " right " ), and I saw more irritation, frustration

than any anxiety. I'm sure when I folded the towels a bit less neat than her's

she probably felt a bit of anxiety along with it, lol, either refolding them

herself or having me redo " right. " Like you said, " fine lines " with this when

looking at both!

> Hi I think you did an excellent job at explaining the difference. It's

tough, so many fine lines with all this. My daughter has OCD and I general

anxiety with touches of OCD, but mine has tinges of the personality--like " I do

it like this because I want to " , not due to great distress as with OCD.

> Terry

>

> > Hi, just my thoughts on this.

[Guest guest]

This was very helpful and insightful, thank you!!!

> >

> > Hi guys! I have asked my son's psychologist which one we are dealing with,

and he said it really doesn't matter - they are treated the same. But that is

not what I am reading in my search for answers. It seems like my son has OCPD

because he does not recognize his contamination fears/hoarding etc. as

problematic. However, I imagine

>

[Guest guest]

A personality disorder of any kind (avoidant, borderline etc)

is much harder to treat. In personality disorders there

is a serious issue with interpersonal relationships.

People with personality disorders ridgidly hold on their

belief system of the way the worlds works and that view

is always dysfunctional to relationships.

If you suspected that your child's emotional issues were

so pervasive and rarely waxes and wans that there

personality would be shaped by it, then the treatment

would need to include many life skills that they

probably are not developing.

A person with OCPD would benefit from social skill training

that helps to understand how other people think and

what is important to others, it would teach flexiblity

these are not usually the therapies needed for OCD.

Pam

>

> Hi guys! I have asked my son's psychologist which one we are dealing with,

and he said it really doesn't matter - they are treated the same. But that is

not what I am reading in my search for answers. It seems like my son has OCPD

because he does not recognize his contamination fears/hoarding etc. as

problematic. However, I imagine most kids feel that way because they are so

reluctant to change their behaviors. What I'm reading (specifically, BrainLock)

says that true OCD sufferers hate their obsessions/compulsions but can't stop

doing them. Is this always true with children, though? My son is comforted by

his rituals. He thinks the rest of us are crazy. Thoughts??? Thanks!

>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

My 12 year son has OCD, and I am also a psychology student who has read volumes

on OCD spectrum disorders...OCD is a neurologically based medical condition and

OCPD is a personality disorder. OCPD persons are concerned with order,

cleanliness, rules, etc and can be rigid in their thinking and behaviors but

they do not have to engage in compulsions to head off the anxiety. OCD is set

apart by the power that the compulsions have over the individual, they can not

stop them. I would ask if your son engages in compulsions (actions that relieve

anxiety like washing, tapping, counting, etc) to a disabling or uncomfortable

degree.

>

> Hi guys! I have asked my son's psychologist which one we are dealing with,

and he said it really doesn't matter - they are treated the same. But that is

not what I am reading in my search for answers. It seems like my son has OCPD

because he does not recognize his contamination fears/hoarding etc. as

problematic. However, I imagine most kids feel that way because they are so

reluctant to change their behaviors. What I'm reading (specifically, BrainLock)

says that true OCD sufferers hate their obsessions/compulsions but can't stop

doing them. Is this always true with children, though? My son is comforted by

his rituals. He thinks the rest of us are crazy. Thoughts??? Thanks!

>

[Guest guest]

My understanding is that this is termed " lacking insight " . If they don't see

their rituals as a problem then they are not motivated to change, which is a

common problem with some with OCD. A person with OCPD is beyond lacking

insight, it is a belief system that they are right and everyone else is wrong,

period, there is no " grey " .

If your son could not do his rituals he would feel anxiety, so the rituals

provide comfort from this anxiety. However, the rituals have to keep growing to

meet the increasing need of the OCD, so eventually there will be no comfort to

be found, or it is limited.

The catch is that they have to feel discomfort, the anxiety, to move beyond the

compulsions/rituals - and that seems crazy to someone with OCD, who is getting

relief/comfort from those rituals!

I find our son displays many traits of OCPD when he is " locked in " with the OCD.

There is no flexibility, the brain is stuck, and the repetitive nature of the

compulsions carves the grooves of the thinking deeper and deeper by each

repetition, making it harder and harder to get out, or to even consider this as

something worth doing. Nasty, life choking, disorder that is OCD. It can

really alter their personality, belief system, whole way of being - our

experience of it anyway.

Now that our son is doing well, over two years now, I can clearly see when he is

in some OCD thing. He is often not a nice person, and it can look OCPD, rigid,

everyone else is wrong, whole world is wrong, certain kind of faulty

thinking.... I will often be having what I think is a normal conversation with

our son, and then start feeling " stuck " and exhausted as it goes in circles, and

then will realize it's OCD attached to our " conversation " .

There are some " conversations " that if I'm paying attention, I just listen and

don't engage. It's hard though, because it is usually about something

significant and I feel compelled to change my son's mind(!) about his thinking,

and then realize that is not going to happen!!, and anyway it's not really

" real " , it's the OCD talking. It can be very deceptive and tricky, catches me

often.

So, just to say, it can look like OCPD and really " just " be OCD. I used to

think our son had OCPD, but now know he can just be very rigid, with or without

the OCD attached, and think this is common too.

A coping for anxiety in general I think. Our son lacked insight for some time

as well, impossible to treat the OCD when this is the case. Need a good

psychologist to help them find the motivators to change their ways or their

thinking!!

Warmly,

Barb

Canada

Son, 19, OCD, LD plus

>

> >

> > Hi guys! I have asked my son's psychologist which one we are dealing with,

and he said it really doesn't matter - they are treated the same. But that is

not what I am reading in my search for answers. It seems like my son has OCPD

because he does not recognize his contamination fears/hoarding etc. as

problematic. However, I imagine most kids feel that way because they are so

reluctant to change their behaviors. What I'm reading (specifically, BrainLock)

says that true OCD sufferers hate their obsessions/compulsions but can't stop

doing them. Is this always true with children, though? My son is comforted by

his rituals. He thinks the rest of us are crazy. Thoughts??? Thanks!

> >

>