Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and substance use disorder bear very similar symptoms—repetitive actions and unwanted thoughts. While an addict might compulsively use drugs or alcohol regardless of the consequences, someone with OCD might engage in repetitive actions and have unwanted thoughts—not unlike the constant desire to use characteristic of someone with OCD.
OCD is characterized by two different categories—obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are intrusive thought patterns that are unmanageable, distressing and unconscious. For someone with OCD, they might have repetitive thoughts of hurting someone or terrible things happening to their family.
Unable to shake the thoughts, they might go through these thought patterns over and over again, sometimes throughout an entire day. While they might feel relief from their thoughts at some point, the thoughts still return. Compulsions involve ritualistic, uncontrollable actions, such as counting or repeatedly checking the stove to make sure it’s turned off; the more well-known part of OCD. But OCD can manifest itself in actions as well as thoughts, and in order to calm the intrusive thoughts and actions that disrupt daily life, they might seek out drugs or alcohol to numb themselves.
While half of all patients with mental health disorders also have an issue with substance use disorder, for those with OCD, 25 percent of those diagnosed with OCD also have a substance use disorder disorder. This direct correlation makes for a dangerous situation when the addict with OCD is trapped in a cycle of rituals, intrusive thought patterns, and compulsive drug use.
Breaking free from the patterns of OCD takes time, and specific elements of therapy, such as exposure therapy (literally being exposed to what you fear—the thoughts or rituals you cannot cease)–if someone’s compulsions relate to a fear of germs, they might be exposed to dirt or other elements they fear. Combined with medication, such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, or mood stabilizers, healing from OCD is possible, even when it seems like the compulsions are all wrapped up in a confusing mess.
