Although they are often confused as being one and the same, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) are two extremely different conditions that require distinctly different treatment options. And while the two disorders may share a few similar symptoms, the truth is, they are markedly different in their makeup and should be recognized for the individual mental illnesses that they are.
Above all else, the single biggest thing that differentiates OCD from OCPD is the fact that OPCD does not carry with it obsessions and compulsions in the same way that they exist for the typical OCD sufferer. Instead, OCD sufferers typically have to deal with their disorder as if it were a necessary burden, something that they resent doing. People dealing with OPCD, however, tend to see their conditioned rituals and habits as something that they do to increase their efficiency. Further, OCD sufferers spend more time dealing with rituals and repeated actions than their OPCD-having counterparts.
Individuals dealing with OCD also tend to need professional psychological assistance to deal with the stress and anxiety caused by their disorder. OPCD sufferers, however, don’t require this kind of help. They typically seek out treatment due to problems they are experiencing with family and friends, mostly because of their refusal to conform to doing things the way that family and friends want.
While OCD’s symptoms can vary, fluctuate and be very obvious over time, OCPD’s symptoms are generally much more limited and typically don’t have the same effects on personality.
Anyone who is unsure of whether they are dealing with OCD or OPCD should seek out a diagnosis from a qualified physician.
