Anxiety or Obsessive/Compulsive?
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Anxiety or Obsessive/Compulsive?
| Thu, 07-07-2005 - 9:36pm |
I thought my main issue was my anxiety, but when I was at my doctor's office a year ago she used the term "obsessive/compulsive" to describe my behaviors. At the time I didn't understand or ask more questions, but recently I saw a Dr. Phil episode on OCD (is that the correct acronym?) and realized that although I don't wash my hands over and over or count things, I do obsess over worries and fears and my health. So is it OCD or is it GAD? In the end, I suppose it doesn't matter "which" it is, as long as I learn how to manage it. Perhaps there's crossover between the two conditions? Anyone who can enlighten me?
Thanks,
Julie

IMHO, Julie, it probably doesn't matter. Worry is worry & with us having anxiety, it's excessive worry
Julie, I think you are absolutely right that it doesn't matter what you have as long as you learn how to control it. as Jan mentioned, we all intrusive and unwanted thoughts, but the key to managing your anxiety or behavior is by finding ways to distract yourself, or eliminate these thougths.
although im studying cognitive psychology, i have taken a couple of clinical psych classes at the graduate level. from what i know, psychological disorders are extremely hard to accurately diagnose because they are merely constructs. that is, we don't really know if they really exist or not. patients are diagnosed if they fit a certain number of symptoms listed in the DSM, however, since different diagnoses include similar symptoms it is very possible to have a dual diagnoses (co-morbidity). Also, it also creates a challenge in that GAD and OCD have been classified as different disorders, however, they may turn out to be the same thing. I know this is very philosophical, and I hope it makes sesnse. I can't pretend to fully understand what all that means either. So with that said, you should shift your focus to find ways to get better rather than thinking about the diagnosis that you have.
Mia
Thanks to both of you for your posts--it was more a question of curiosity than one of "which one do I have?" Since I recognized this tendency in myself I think it has made a huge difference when the thoughts of "do I have cancer" come up. Like I said in one of my posts recently, I just thought everyone had the worries and fears like I do (heck, everyone in my immediate family does!!) so it was very eye-opening when I finally stepped back and realized that there are people out there that don't.
I know what you're saying, Jan, about having a sense of humor about it because I can definitely talk about it with a much more light-hearted attitude. I've also started sharing my tendencies with people like my in-laws because I think it helps them understand me better. Why I worry about the kids, why I watch them like a hawk when they eat or when they are near the pool. It isn't as bad as it used to be, but I think its great for those without anxiety to understand the perspective of living with it.
Thanks again to both of you for your insight on this topic.
Julie