Do you know any individual who always remains extra concerned with cleaning and arranging things in symmetry? Do you know any child who exhibits excessive tantrums and anger on completing the school tasks or doing other activities? The one who is extra conscious about cleaning and symmetry might be suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). At the same time, the children that we are talking about might be the victims of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Both are common mental illnesses that can interfere with the daily life functioning of individuals. However, if you want to know more about OCD and ODD and what are the major differences between then read this article thoroughly. You will understand their differences and the different and useful treatment options for them. So let’s get a start! 

What is OCD?

OCD is a mental disorder that involves the occurrence of undesired, intrusive,e and repetitive thoughts, images, and perceptions in the mind. Affected individuals feel stressed or anxious and then they repeat any specific activity or behavior to get rid of their anxiety. 

Symptoms of OCD

Among all the different OCD symptoms, the most common ones are as follows:

Obsessions

Obsessions are unwanted feelings, thoughts, emotions, images, and ideas in the mind that can cause anxiety in individuals.

Compulsions

Compulsions are the repetitive behavior that individual with obsessions exhibit to alleviate their anxiety symptoms. However, they only get temporary relief from the repetitive behavior. Once they stop that, they again delve into the state of anxiousness.

Disorganized thinking behavior

Individuals with OCD are unable to focus on their thoughts and feel blurriness in their vision, perception, and ideas. Moreover, they are unable to make decisions in their life. 

Emotional impact

Due to OCD, various other negative changes occur in the body that affect emotional stability and can result in reduced confidence, self-esteem, and a preference for social isolation.

Who is at risk of developing OCD?

OCD symptoms are more prominent in the adolescent or adulthood stages. However, symptoms are also found in childhood. Moreover, the onset of OCD symptoms is slower but can persist for a longer period and can stay with the individual without the appropriate treatment. Any individual can suffer from OCD and the causes or risk factors are diverse for each individual. 

Risk factors of OCD

  • Previous life trauma or other harsh experiences
  • Brain injury
  • Previous medical history
  • Family history 
  • Substance abuse
  • Addiction 
  • Presence of other mental health issues including ADHD, ODD autism spectrum disorder, etc.

Impact of OCD 

Obsessive-compulsive disorder can exert a major negative impact on relationships, daily life as well as mental health.

Daily functioning

Individuals suffering from OCD spend their precious time doing their compulsions. For example, instead of getting ready early in the morning and leaving home to attend the meeting on time, they waste their time doing compulsions. Therefore, they also face difficulty completing their other important daily life tasks. This ultimately results in a decrease in their productivity.

Relationships

Affected individuals also struggle to express their thoughts and emotions to their partners or loved ones. Instead of speaking their heart out, their intrusive thoughts make them so frustrated that they utter harsh words which in turn creates a lot of misunderstanding and conflicts.

Mental health

OCD is directly linked to elevated anxiety or depression. Due to the intrusive thoughts, individuals think that they are useless and unable to achieve anything in their lives and they usually remain under persistent stress. Moreover, they remain trapped in the cycle of fear and compulsions.

What is ODD?

Oppositional defiant disorder is a behavioral disorder that is common in children and adolescents. Moreover, ODD is also referred to as a disruptive behavioral disorder like ADHD and conduct disorder. Different studies have reported that approximately 2% to 11% of children suffer from oppositional defiant disorder. 

Children suffering from ODD exhibit anger and emotional intensity more than usual. Moreover, they also argue in each conservation and exhibit defiant behavior toward their seniors or elders. As OCD involves the continuous pattern of obsessions and compulsion, ODD involves the continual manner of disobedience and hostile behavior. 

It is quite difficult to diagnose ODD in children as most children exhibit stubborn behavior by birth. Such hostile, aggressive, and disobedient behavior is mostly evident in preschool and then acquires the severity in adolescent stages. If the condition is left untreated then symptoms can also persist to adulthood. Moreover, untreated symptoms can also result in the development of other mental issues including anxiety, depression, mood disorder, and substance abuse disorder.

Therefore parents should be familiar with each aspect of OCD to provide their children early intervention and treatment. The American Psychiatric Association provides the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) which explains the two criteria for ODD identification which involve behavioral and emotional symptoms. If the symptoms are present for about six months or more then it is a greater indication of ODD. Moreover, the symptoms of ODD also range from mild to severe, and considering them is also the best way for timely recognition. 

OCD vs. ODD

OCD vs ODD

OCD and ODD are distinct mental health disorders that affect the mental stability and behavior of individuals. Individuals have to face multiple difficulties in maintaining their life functioning. 

Obsessive-compulsive disorder Oppositional defiant disorder
OCD involves obsessions and compulsions ODD is a behavioral disorder
This involves the unwanted images, thoughts, and ideas that appear in the mind Affected children show anger, mood swings, disobedience, and hostile and irritable behavior.
Onset occurs in childhood and adolescent stages The ODD onset occurs in childhood before the teenage.
Exhibits anger due to frustration caused by compulsions Anger that resulted from the definitive behavior
Symptoms are involuntary Symptoms are voluntary
Experts diagnose OCD based on obsessions and compulsions The diagnosis is based on the behavioral patterns
Anxiousness forces individuals to perform rituals Children usually deny the rules and regulations of authority
Women are more likely to experience the OCD as compared to males Males are more likely to suffer from ODD as compared to females.
OCD is treated by cognitive behavior therapy, exposure, and response prevention therapy, and medications Treatment involves parent management training, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medications depending on the severity of the symptoms
OCD symptoms can affect the social, academic, and personal life ODD symptoms can have a negative influence on personal, and professional life and relationships.
OCD can co-exist with other mental issues including anxiety, depression, ADHD, etc. Co-occur with mental conditions including anxiety, depression, conduct disorder ADHD, etc.

also self-diagnose OCD by knowing the mental illness. Obsessive-compulsive disorder can be diagnosed by professionally trained and skilled mental health experts. They perform the psychological evaluation and some other physical test if the individual is suspected to have any other physical illness. Different questions are asked during the psychological evaluation to diagnose the mental disorder.

ODD Diagnosis 

As ODD is a behavioral disorder,  therefore experts analyze the behavior of children in different settings including their school and home. Moreover, they also conduct interviews with their school teachers and friends to get accurate results.

What are the different treatment options for OCD and ODD?

The treatment for OCD involves the following:

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of psychotherapy that is used to effectively treat obsessive-compulsive disorder. Experts first identify the trigger factors of OCD and then guide these individuals to overcome their obsessive thoughts and compulsions. 

Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy

Exposure and response prevention therapy is also another type of therapy that is used by experts to treat OCD obsessions and compulsive behaviors. In this therapy, individuals are exposed to situations that urge them to exhibit the compulsions. But they are asked to prevent their ritualistic behavior. With time, individuals learn to adapt to this behavior and take control of their compulsions and anxiety. 

Medication

If the symptoms of OCD are severe and are not under control then experts recommend the intake of psychiatric medications. Different types of psychiatric medications are recommended to lessen the OCD symptoms which include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The main role of these medications is to regulate the level of specific neurotransmitters in the brain which include serotonin. 

Transcranial magnetic stimulation

If the medications and psychotherapy are not providing the desired results then transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy is used. This is an advanced technique for brain stimulation. During this treatment, a magnetic coil is attached to the scalp and then magnetic impulses are generated. The impulses then stimulate certain brain regions to control the obsessions and compulsions. 

Treatment of ODD

The following are the best options for treatment for ODD:

Parental practices

Effective parent-child interaction is extremely useful for the treatment of ODD in children. Parents utilize different parenting styles to control the aggressive and hostile behavior of their children. In parent-child interaction therapies, parents are the major participants. However, experts play a significant backend role in which they not only analyze the therapy and its effects on children but also provide guidance and feedback to parents to implement better strategies for ODD treatment. 

Functional family therapy

Family exerts a strong influence on the behavior of children. During family therapy, experts guide family members of ODD children on how they can modify their family functioning to positively change the behavior of the children. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy is utilized to deal with anger issues in children. Moreover, experts teach different problem-solving skills so aggressive and hostile children can handle their issues at school and home and exhibit positive behavior. 

Multidimensional therapy

This therapy is based on a holistic approach as it involves a diverse range including individual, family, and social intervention to overcome the ODD. 

Wrap up!

OCD and ODD are common but complex mental health issues that affect individuals including children, adolescents, and adults. Both are different mental health issues and exhibit diversity in the symptoms. Moreover, different internal and external genetic factors can result in the development of both mental health issues. However, by recognizing the early signs and providing early treatment, individuals can recover from both mental issues. 

Furthermore, if you know anyone who is grappling with these mental issues and facing complexity in different areas of life then we should be your first choice. Advanced Mental Health Group is a top mental health platform that provides the finest treatment of OCD, ODD, and other mental issues. Our mental health experts are professional and skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of OCD and ODD. Moreover, they also provide guidance to individuals regarding OCD vs ODD. With our comprehensive approach, you can deal with the symptoms and initiate your journey towards mental wellness. So reach out to Advanced Health Preference Group and schedule a consultation with experts to get the best OCD and ODD solutions.