Does anyone else have comorbid ADHD and OCD ?

[adhd_positive]

I have been diagnosed with both, and boy, is it a confusing!! Imagine having one side of you that is obsessed with order and perfection. While the other side is nothing but chaos and disorganization! Anyone else in this boat too???

[ARead]

I haven’t been diagnosed with both, only ADHD but when I get angry and loose control it’s because I can’t work if I don’t have absolute order. To the point that I have lost many jobs because I can’t get past it. It’s maddening. My mother died of suicide and I found out she was bi-polar. I have asked many times if I had that because of the hugs and lows!

[Hidden in reply to ARead]

Omg your sentence of not being able to work unless you have complete order is exactly what I told a doc, it's the frustration that makes makes me mad, I literally shake inside with rage when things aren't in order, Its a life wrecker, because it makes you impulsive and make bad decisions which then end up with depression, anxiety, insomnia etc .vicious cycle

[ChoaticAdhd]

I think I might have a slight case of ocd i mean I can’t pay attention worth of crap but if someone mentions something that sparks my interest I’ll literally google it for hours reading up on whatever subject then next thing I know 3 hours have went by

[MadaEroom in reply to ChoaticAdhd]

This sounds more to me like classic adhd hyperfocusing than ocd. I do something very similar but have only been diagnosed with adhd. During a group therapy for CBT I learned more about hyperfocusing and perfectionism.

[ChoaticAdhd in reply to MadaEroom]

Now I’m going to have to look that up lol

[MadaEroom in reply to ChoaticAdhd]

By all means learn everything you can about CBT!

[ChoaticAdhd in reply to MadaEroom]

Oh I will lol I’ll end up having like 20 tabs open checking every website I can i can’t stop myself like if only I was like this in school

[Hidden in reply to ChoaticAdhd]

That's me loool

[Hidden in reply to ChoaticAdhd]

I think the urge for order comes from your coping mechanisms, due to past problems of having bad organisational skills, so you get in a routine that makes you feel organised, when that routine gets disrupted it's tantrum time, because it triggers anxiety of losing routine, because somewhere along the way you learnt routine keeps you safe from spiralling

[ARead in reply to Hidden]

That makes sense. I just wish I knew how to work without the order when I can’t control the environment. I went for a lot of years untreated so I absolutely developed routines to manage. I was on concerta before- now Adderall. I started getting bad nausea from the Concerta and now I started getting the same side affects. Both around the 1-2 year mark. I’m wondering if I’m getting added anxiety from that. Also if I’m better off reverting to my routines rather than meds with addiction in my family. It’s like my body starts rejecting meds.

[Hidden in reply to ARead]

I had a differential diagnosis of ADHD or bipolar with a private psychiatrist but have never had any treatment, I also convince myself I have OCD because of the exact same issue your facing of order. So maybe it's not the meds ? Maybe it's the condition ? Or maybe you should use your routine, but also get a good to who will treat your anxiety when things start spiralling. Also find a way of coping when order does go wrong. The thing is from what I have gathered, undiagnosed ADHD causes lots of other problems that become behavioural issues, so the meds you take will help so far, but you need something to help you cope with the melt down when order goes haywire ? I'm saying this because I 100% Know what the break in order does, it wreaks absolute havoc. I suspect my mum has ADHD and she has hidden it by being super organised, but once she falls behind with the cleaning she wants to sell the house. I know routine is vital J would suggest speaking to your therapist if you have one about how your handling routine and breaks in it. Also OCD and ADHD are closely connected so there could be a possibility of you having OCD in a lesser form. I just know that undiagnosed ADHD leads to many other problems that don't get solved just by ADHD meds

[Hidden in reply to ARead]

Because of my anxiety I have a fear of medication that I have to take every day, so meds wouldn't work for me, I am going to seek out a GP who will work with me on my anxiety and possibly ask for CBT to help me change from turning into Sid vicious just because someone is late or because I forgot something I need for work.

I survived this long without meds, so now I can just learn better coping techniques, and learn to go to the GP as soon as I feel my anxiety has flared up. I just had a really bad GP u fortunately that had no intention of referring me to a specialist for confirmation of the adhd. The irony is the same private psychiatrist works in the NHS too, so if I was referred to him rather than pay to see him, the GP would have taken it seriously.

[ARead in reply to ChoaticAdhd]

I get hyper focused too. Meanwhile the stuff I need done is flying by.

[Hidden in reply to ARead]

My hyperfocus, borders on the line of bankruptcy. That's how long It can hyper focus for

[ChoaticAdhd in reply to Hidden]

So off topic but not really lol my son got diagnosed with adhd years ago I felt bad putting him on meds so I didn’t I just thought it was the teacher because he never got in trouble before but her class was always but anyways hes 11 now all his life he’s been weird about clothes and literally will have to wear the same pants every single day last year it was jeans this year it’s a pair of sweat pants and omg don’t let them not be in the washer or not found before school because he will loose it like completely screws up his day

[Hidden in reply to ChoaticAdhd]

Looool that's me too

[ChoaticAdhd in reply to Hidden]

But wearing the same pair of sweatpants every single day I’m like kids probably think you don’t have any other clothes lol

[Hidden in reply to ChoaticAdhd]

He won't be bothered what other kids think, them sweatpants are comfy, remember if he is ADHD he will have skin sensitivity too, so will find comfort for the feel of them on his skin. My grandson who is 5 has a thing for silky and fluffy things and as he gets in the house he strips off and straight into his fluffy blanket. My daughter used to do the very same. Labels also cause problems, I have to cut mine out, because if I feel them on my skin I scratch like crazy

[adhd_positive in reply to Hidden]

Wow. It certainly is comforting knowing that I’m not the only one with all of these “weird” behaviors organizing things and especially with clothes! For some reason, “trivial” issues with clothes have been a serious thorn in my side for as long as I can remember! There was a period where I had to wear this one pair of shorts all the time. And if I couldn’t find them, for any reason (my fault or not), I would go on the warpath, and my roommate and I would get into a fight. Every single time! The entire rest of my day would be ruined simply because I couldn’t find a pair of shorts!

[Hidden in reply to adhd_positive]

Lol, it's funny rinsed other people's experiences, as much as it is enlightening

[adhd_positive in reply to Hidden]

So i have always had this compulsive desire to have unnecessary things squared away and organized. But what’s so messed up (no pun intended! Lol) is that because of my adhd, I have never been able to be organized for “important” things in my entire life. So frustrating! But anyway, for example, when I grab my unopened mail, I always have to organize the different envelopes etc. based on their size and shape. And, it really bothers me if one piece of mail is a different size and won’t be lined up with the rest. So much so that I have to fold it to make it line up!

[Hidden in reply to adhd_positive]

It's got to be the worst combination ever, because they are both opposites. Man that sucks

[adhd_positive in reply to Hidden]

One more example of my ocd... money. Sometimes I feel the need to line up all the bills in my wallet. I will make sure they all are facing the same way, all the little folded corners flattened out. So it’s easier in the US, than in other places.. like Japan! The problem is that the paper money differs in sizes depending on the amount! It bugs me so much that they all can’t be lined up, so I have to keep the different bills in different places (pockets or whatever!). Obviously, this creates a multitude of new problems and frustrations for me when I loose money, forget about it, etc, because it’s not all in my wallet where it should be!

[Hidden in reply to ChoaticAdhd]

I am laughing because my daughter said to me yesterday mum come on let's go get u a new outfit, you been wearing them jeans everyday for months. I looked at her and said I told you I think I have OCD. Mines food as well, once I eat something that I like, I want it everyday until months later, that I've ate it that much I go off it. TGI Friday's was the last food fad, nandos before that, but when I was a kid, I was a nightmare, my mum had to cook seperate for me and always the same til I went off it. Its mad how normal abnormal behaviour can seem, until it's pointed out.

[ChoaticAdhd in reply to Hidden]

Right like illl be interested in something then one day for awhile and obsessive about it then one day I’m like I don’t like that or I’ll eat the same thing from whatever restaurant I go to never change it up already know what I want lol, but I’m to the point like should I get him re evaluated and actually go with the medication because I see a lot of me in him and I don’t want him to deal with life dragging him down because of everything then getting antidepressants shoved down his throat like I have been

[Hidden in reply to ChoaticAdhd]

That's the question, at 11 if your aware of his diagnosis, you face 2 choices, I would suggest you have a much better chance of getting him through his ADHD than you did. I really don't know what you should do about meds, but I have split thoughts on them

[ChoaticAdhd in reply to Hidden]

Yea I know that’s why I never did but now I feel like that decision has already affected him self esteem wise and grade wise

[Hidden in reply to ChoaticAdhd]

Maybe time to get him meds and therapy then, I understand why you haven't so far. I feel bad for you because I know it's not an easy choice to make

[Carolann73162 in reply to ARead]

Exactly

[TheKnightRider]

I can tell you that my wife has ADHD and I am OCD. Wow! is it ever hell. You might be fortunate having it all in one package rather than dealing with exterior influences from another person. Either way, it has to be difficult. Have you any means of action? Do you deal with them one at a time or simultaneously together?

What meds can be helpful. On a positive note, some of the most creative people have accomplished outstanding works of art, in writing, film directing, inventions, great medical cures and discoveries due to their OCD. Hang in there, the best may be on it’s way. And don’t forget 🎶.

[TheKnightRider]

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