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OCD vs. OCPD: Maybe It's Just Your Personality

There's nothing wrong, that's just who you are.

By Heather TeresePublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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Everyone has a friend that’s absurdly organized. With them, there’s a place for everything and everything’s in said place. They’re the type of person that’s got their closet organized by color, their shoes in order of height, and a to-do list is always within arm’s reach. Many people would look at them and refer to their sort of behavior as very OCD, but the question to ask is are they really afflicted with obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Chances are, this friend does not actually have obsessive-compulsive disorder. Recent studies have shown that about 1 in 40 adults and about 1 in 100 children are diagnosable obsessive-compulsive. In the US, that becomes approximately 2.3% of the population. Also, those really aren’t the symptoms of OCD. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized according to the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM by:

  • Presence of obsessions, or compulsions
  • Obsessions or compulsions are time-consuming or cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning
  • The obsessive-compulsive symptoms are not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance or another medical condition
  • The disturbance is not better explained by the symptoms of another mental disorder

Of course, as is the case with all DSM entries, there are many more specificities, so these four are the main diagnostic criteria. For those afflicted with OCD, there is usually one central fixation, the most common being germs, numbers, and religion. They may need to act out visible rituals, such as performing an action a certain number of times or sanitizing surfaces, or they may perform mental rituals such as internally reciting certain prayers or counting something a specific number of times. The key thing to keep in mind with OCD is that the compulsions and obsessions cause the individual stress and are obtrusive to their lives.

The original set of symptoms (cleanliness, intense organization, list making, perfectionism) much better fit an entirely separate disorder called obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, which is characterized by:

  • Preoccupation with details, rules, lists, order, organization, or schedule to the extent that the major point of the activity is lost
  • Shows perfectionism that interferes with task completion
  • Is excessively devoted to work and productivity to the exclusion of leisure activities
  • Is overconscientious, scrupulous, and inflexible about matters of morality, ethics, or values
  • Is unable to discard worn-out or worthless objects even if they have no sentimental value
  • Is reluctant to delegate tasks or to work with others unless they submit exactly to his or her way of doing things
  • Adopts a miserly spending style towards both self and others, money is viewed as something to be hoarded for future catastrophes
  • Shows rigidity and stubbornness

One of the key differences between OCD and OCPD is that those afflicted with OCD are stressed by their compulsions and usually recognize this behavior isn’t necessarily socially acceptable, whereas those with OCPD see their behavior as justified and don’t believe there’s anything wrong with the way they function. They’re also classified in entirely different classes of personality disorders; OCPD is a cluster C personality disorder, whereas OCD is not grouped into a cluster at all.

In reality, the chances of that organized friend having OCPD is incredibly unlikely as well, given that only about 1% of the population in the US has been diagnosed with it. Also, just because your behavior deviates from the norm doesn’t mean you’re maladaptive. Essentially, not everyone with a slightly quirky personality is mentally ill. Remember, mental illness is serious and if you or someone you know may be suffering from a mental illness seeking help is important; however, don’t go diagnosing your friends. Please, leave that to the professionals.

Sources

“Clinical Definition (DSM-5) of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).” Beyond OCD, beyondocd.org/information-for-individuals/clinical-definition-of-ocd.

“Facts about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.” Beyond OCD, beyondocd.org/ocd-facts.

“Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder.” Psych Central, 17 Dec. 2017, psychcentral.com/disorders/obsessive-compulsive-personality-disorder/.

“What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder?” Harley Therapy™ Blog, 30 Dec. 2017, www.harleytherapy.co.uk/counselling/obsessive-compulsive-personality-disorder-2.htm.

personality disorder
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About the Creator

Heather Terese

Writer and psychology enthusiast

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