Alcoholism and OCD
 

I have come to the conclusion that alcoholism is another form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Perhaps it has been classified as such, I did not check.

I have read a number of threads here about cross-addiction and that confirms to me the OCD tendencies. I find it in my own recovery as well. The activities I have chosen to put my energy into I do obsessively. My sport, exercise, writing, healthy eating and reading here. It does not bother me. It is all good habits.

I believe in time that things will settle and I will be able to live a more balanced life. For now, 5 months in recovery I am happy with these obsessions. It keeps me sober and sane and for that I am so thankful.

My daughter had OCD, and there is nothing positive about it. Now that she is older and married, it seems to be more under control, but it was awful when she was younger lived at home with me.

Thank you for the comments. My opinion is clearly wrong.

I don't know that you are necessarily wrong. OCD comes in many forms and I can see why you would see a link between that and alcohol. I was diagnosed some years ago because of a disorder I suffer from called "dermatophagia". It literally means "skin eating". I bite, chew, pick and ultimately swallow the skin on my fingers. It is disgusting, embarrassing, painful and yet I cannot stop. I will be bleeding horribly and I continue to bite. My hands are so scarred, I hate it. It is apparently a form of OCD.

I've often thought the same thing. Whether it's listed by the psychiatric association as such, I'm not sure, but there is definitely obsession and compulsion involved in it. So is OCD the cause of alcoholism or the symptom? Probably either or both, depending on the person. But no matter; Abstinence is still the cure.

I'm OCD no doubt. But it's a bit of a leap to say alcoholics are all OCD. Putting a disorder like alcoholism down to one factor is pretty risky.

I remember one time in an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting a gal saying, "My addiction is more."

For me it was a compulsion and an obsession. I haven't been officially diagnosed with OCD, but with alcohol and sugar I can definitely claim obsession and compulsion. I mean in the AA big book it talks about this many times, but not every alcoholic is "diagnosed" OCD - so it may be splitting hairs.

It seems like there is a psychological and physical dysfunction involved for sure.

Callas I think you are right in a way. I'm not a psychiatrist, nor do I claim to have the answers, but I think since alcohol affects the part of the brain responsible for Executive function/impulse control, it delivers that Double Whammy quite effectively.

I kind of see where your coming from with this. I too do thing's like that. But its all good things I am training myself for this hopefully long journey of sobriety. And it seems to be working for me. Just like we use to prime ourselves to booze. Now I flipped the script and prime myself with sobriety. And I feel good about it. Everything I do is for the good. We are just like a baby now we nurture this thing called sobriety. Starting New. I have 111 days today. And I am on so greatful. It takes discipline. But its doable. One day at a time .

Interesting opinion on alcoholism being a form of OCD. It’s something to consider. I can see where there might be some similarities but personally I believe alcohol & alcoholism exacerbates OCD and isn’t actually a form of it. Just my opinion.

I disagree that OCD is any form of addiction. In it’s most basic stripped down form an addicts chosen substance is taken to boost / trigger the reward mechanism in the brain (dopamine receptors). OCD does not adhere to that same driver. People with OCD do not do it for a kick of dopamine, they don’t get a rush out of doing it. At no point is OCD a pleasant experience where as drugs and alcohol can be before it becomes an issue.

Yes, addiction can be obsessive and compulsive but is in no way similar or comparable to the actual disease of OCD. x

I am diagnosed with OCD and this sums up the difference well. For me getting sober some of the most startling things are seeing just how much I was self-medicating OCD WITH alcohol, but also - on the plus side - that the CBT-based treatments are remarkably similar for treating both conditions, even at the same time: basically don't do the 'compulsion' and the 'obsession' will lessen, and trust in this process. So although there are probably links, I don't consider them one and the same, but the way out of both may well be.

This topic is specifically discussed in minor detail in 'Brain Lock' by Jeffrey Schwartz (Chapter 7: The Four Steps and Other Disorders - Overeating, Substance Abuse, Pathological Gambling, Compulsive Sexual Behaviour'), for me a key text for help in managing OCD. I would describe his methodology most similar to AVRT, regards addiction treatment.

I am autistic and diagnosed with OCD and a few other things, and I definitely self-medicated with alcohol. I take risperidone now which seems to keep the worst behaviors in check. While alcoholism is certainly obsessive behavior, I don't know if it qualifies as OCD itself. Thanks for a thoughtful take on this.

No callas, I didn’t mean that at all. I apologize if it sounded like I did. I definitely don’t think you are “wrong”. You were just throwing out a thought, and it made sense. I am clinically OCD. My alcohol addiction was definitely first and foremost a result of self-medicating. THEN, however, it became an obsession. I’m no longer self-medicating bc I am properly medicated, but I developed an obsession towards alcohol when self-medicating. So, I think you are right that obsession can be linked. I just wanted to clarify the hell real ocd is. I tend to bristle when people (not you) use the phrase flippantly like “I’m so ocd...I require my kitchen to spic and span!” Uhm, no, they are just clean, then. When I’m tired, I don’t say “wow, I feel like I have stage 3 cancer!”, so I get really prickly when people discuss obsessions. I apologize!

I think I've got OCD to some extent, I don't know much about it though. I have to check the oven is off three or four times after I know it's off, for example, before going out.

I have pretty bad OCD which really came to light when I quit booze. I assumed it would go away with time..but that's not the case. It's something I really have to work on. Once I took away alcohol, all my mental health issues came to the surface. But I'd much rather deal with those than be in the miserable hell of alcoholism!

I totally understand you with the obsessive healthy diet, working out, etc. For me personally, I chalk it up to my extremist personality, my wanting "more more more" all of time, filling up this whole that using has left in my life and not wanting to feel feelings. I went so hard on exercise after my separation that I ended up putting myself in the hospital with rhabdo...so yea, I gotta watch out for these 'haviors as I like to call them.

I think being aware of these things is a great first step and if you are being, for the most part, healthy and sober, you're good!