Not everyone who suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) might suffer from psychosis too. But is there a link between OCD and psychosis? What is the prevalence of their co-occurrence? If these are the questions that you are asking yourself for someone you love, then you have come to the right place as this will be the context of the words that will flow down below. Before we get into the actual topic, we are going to talk about both OCD and psychosis briefly, and then we are going to discuss the exact link between them. So, let’s begin:
What is OCD?
This will give you a better understanding of the link between OCD and psychosis. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or OCD, is a mental condition that is defined by behavior that has obsessions and compulsions, which interfere with the everyday life of the sufferer. To avoid obsessions, which are intrusive negative thoughts, affected individuals dwell in repetitive and ritualistic actions that they think will help them forget about their obsessions.
These are some examples of the obsessions:
- Fear of killing somebody you love deliberately or accidentally
- Fear of committing suicide
- Obsessing over contamination
- Taboo or unwanted thoughts involving religion, sex, or harm
- Obsession with symmetry
- Fear of losing control
To get rid of the obsessions, affected individuals participate in actions like these:
- Excessive washing and cleaning
- Arranging everything in symmetry
- Compulsion to count
- Repeatedly checking e.g. checking if the stove is still on
- Repeating words or praying
What is Psychosis?
When someone is suffering from psychosis, then it would mean that the person suffering from the ailment will not be able to differentiate between what is reality and what is not. This is essentially a break from reality and therefore, it is sometimes also aptly called a psychotic break. Symptoms of psychosis include but are not limited to delusions and hallucinations. Additionally, these are the warning signs that are associated with this kind of mental condition:
- Falling performance in school, university, or job
- Paranoia
- Being a loner
- Impulsiveness
- Having no emotions at all sometimes
So, What Does a Psychotic Episode Look Like?
By judging the type of hallucinations and delusions an affected person is having, you can judge if that person is having a psychotic break.
Types of Hallucinations:
- Olfactory: Smells that no one can smell
- Auditory: Sounds that no one can hear
- Tactile: Feelings of touch that might have no source
- Visual: Seeing things that are not there
- Gulfactory: Tasting things that are not in your mouth
Types of Delusions:
- Feeling that somebody is controlling you
- Trivial things that you think might have big meanings
- You believe you are god or have a special purpose or supernatural powers
The Link Between OCD and Psychosis
Psychiatrists get this question a lot: “Can OCD cause psychosis?” Everybody who has OCD will not develop psychosis and there is no such thing as ocd vs psychosis. It can though sometimes co-occur with OCD and can make similar symptoms evident, in the process creating confusion for the affected individual or the mental health professional who is trying to uncover if the affected individual is suffering from something or not. Psychosis can come into existence, especially at times when anxiety and other symptoms of OCD are running hot.
The Similarities Between OCD and Psychosis
While you cannot ask something like, “Does OCD lead to schizophrenia”, we already have established that OCD does have identifiable symptoms and so does psychosis. Although OCD and psychosis are very different mental conditions, the symptoms of these conditions sometimes overlap.
Learn More: Is OCD Ruining My Life? – What To Do?
Anxiety and Stress:
In psychosis, anxiety stems from the fear and confusion that is caused by the major symptoms of psychosis, hallucinations, and delusions. On the other hand, anxiety in OCD causes the affected individual to dwell in obsessive thoughts, and to get rid of these thoughts, they proceed to participate in repetitive and ritualistic actions.
Intrusive and Unwanted Thoughts:
Like OCD, psychosis can also lead to intrusive thoughts, which can be as distressing as the ones that happen due to OCD.
Quality of Life is Affected:
Both OCD and psychosis are capable of interfering with the day-to-day activities of the affected individual, seriously affecting their ability to function at work, social gatherings, and especially in relationships.
The Differences
The differences between OCD and psychosis can also vary, which becomes the differentiating factor for both of them.
Their Response: In OCD, affected individuals suffer from problems but never lose touch with reality. But in psychosis, it is a whole different story.
The Thoughts: When it comes to OCD and psychosis, OCD sufferers tend to know that their thoughts are irrational and unwanted, unlike psychosis.
The Behavior: When it’s about OCD, only behavior is affected seriously, while psychosis is a literal break from reality and changes the way you think.
Treatment for Both
While they do have differences, a lot of the symptoms of OCD and psychosis can be treatments that are used to treat one of them can also be used for either of them. It is also dependent on a case-by-case basis.
Medication:
OCD can be treated by anti-anxiety pills like benzodiazepines or antidepressants such as Selective Serotonin-Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), which can increase the amount of neurotransmitter serotonin which the body uses for regulating mood and feelings. Keeping this in mind, it can be used to treat both OCD and psychosis, especially when used with antipsychotics.
Psychotherapy:
Talk therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focus on mental health professionals helping the sufferer come to terms with the negative thought process that might lead to problematic behavior and find resolutions for the sufferers. A specific kind of CBT called Exposure Therapy constantly puts the patient in situations where their OCD gets triggered, so it can lose its power over time, which makes it extremely suitable for treating OCD. It is especially helpful when used with medication that is used for treating OCD and psychosis.
Closing Words
OCD and Psychosis are not mutually exclusive as both of these ailments can happen separately and together. Sometimes, one can cause the other and vice versa. The answer to the questions like “Is ocd a psychotic disorder?”, “Can ocd cause psychosis?”, or “does ocd lead to schizophrenia?” is resounding a NO. And there is no such thing as OCD vs psychosis. However, both can be highly treatable and can be treated simultaneously when considering that both of these ailments can have similar symptoms. Inland Empire Behavioral Group has a host of mental health professionals available to treat mental disorders like Anxiety, Depression, or ADHD. Don’t forget to book an appointment.
