My doctor thinks so. He said it (drug addiction, food addiction, all addiction) all stems from one thing, obsessive-compulsive disorder.
But I’ve always looked at OCD in a different light. I’ve always saw it as the person who counts steps, repeats themselves until what they’re saying is “right” within their own mind, a person who washes and washes and washes their kitchen counter or their hands. A person who is a compulsive liar.
Is addiction merely an obsession? How do you feel about this? Can it be classified as OCD? If so, why aren’t addiction specialists treating addiction with OCD medications?
I don’t think regular addiction is part of OCD.
AIUI, OCD patients repeat these rituals because of irrational fears that something bad will happen otherwise- if I don’t wash my hands 5 times, my mother will die. If I don’t walk exactly 32 steps to the corner store, I will vomit. If I don’t allign everything on my desk at exactly 90 degree angles, I will crap my pants. And so on…
An addict continues to take drugs because he doesn’t like the feeling of withdrawal. A compulsive eater continues to eat because the food is comforting. A gambler will pawn everything he owns to try for that one big win because he’s addicted to the high of winning.
They’re related, but not the same. Addicts are addicted because their behavior fulfills some need. People with OCD continue their behavior because of some irrational fear.
IANAPsychologist, so make of this what you will.
Time to find another doctor. 
I think most psychiatrists would disagree with that doc’s view.
The current biochemical theories are that OCD seems to be related to low levels of serotonin in the brain, whereas addictions are related to tricking the brain into activating the dopamine-linked “reward” system. Two different disease processes, that need two different approaches for treatment.
Because the vast majority of addiction specialists don’t believe as your doctor does.
You’ve got 3 things here:
1. Is all addiction a manifestation of OCD? No. Because almost everybody on the planet can become addicted. If everyone on the planet also has OCD, then it’s not a disorder. It’s human nature.
**2. Does OCD make one more susceptible to drug addiction? **From observing friends with OCD, I’d say, yes. It’s called self-medicating.
3. Can the drugs that are being used to treat OCD also be used to treat addiction? Maybe. But that doesn’t mean that addiction = OCD, any more than a headache = a heart attack (because you take aspirin in both cases).
I think that what gets some people started taking drugs (or alcohol for that matter) is self medication, whether for OCD, depression, anxiety or whatever needs medicating. The addiction kicks in because the person has no dosing instructions and tends to keep increasing the dosage.
I would imagine that folks with OCD are more susceptible to this kind of behavior, but I’m just guessing. If you find comfort in repetition and the behavior you are repeating is taking drugs, then you are lost.
interesting. thanks guys !
I think anybody with anxiety or depression problems is going to be at high risk for becoming addicted to one substance or another.
If you’re already a happy, motivated, focused person, a stimulant like cocaine is not going to impress you much. But if you’re down, and cocaine suddenly makes you feel on top of the world, then you’re going to crave that feeling and do everything in your power to feel that way again. The same is true with other powerful “mood” drugs like alcohol or opiates. If you’re worried or obsessed all the time, then the relaxing effects of alcohol are going to be very hard to resist.
Of course everybody will get physically hooked after a certain amount of time, regardless of their emotional state, but certain people are a lot more likely to get to that point than others. Some people can use these drugs casually without falling into this trap.