Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder

Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) is a pervasive characterological disturbance involving one’s generalized style and beliefs in the way one relates to themselves and the world. Persons with OCPD are typically deeply entrenched in their dysfunctional beliefs and genuinely see their way of functioning as the “correct” way.

While generally their daily experience is such that “all is not well,” they tend to be deeply committed to their own beliefs and patterns. They believe that by doing one action that causes their relief can stop bad thing from happening and at one point of view they will “control” some aspect of their future. Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder is a personality disorder and that is very important to recognize from the beginning.

Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder Causes

For most people Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Personality formed from some trauma in their childhood, similar to avoidant personality disorder (avoidant personality disorder test).  When someone formed a Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Personality it continued to grow and develop as such. The process of Obsessive Compusive Disorder interaction is next: obsession – anxiety – compulsion – relief.

By doing that pattern they have  a feeling to control some aspect in future;strong feeling they will stop something bad from happening. As mentioned above it is most often caused by some trauma in childhood, therefor it trauma keeps living with them in their lives. Something happened which they could not control and now they believe that the future and the world is working on that principles;by doing something(compulsion) that is caused by obsession they will stop their bad feeling (anxiety) and only good things will happen (relief).

For one person which has a Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder to work on that patter some stressor in real life must occur that will make brain to protect themselves by doing that. That is their way of lets say :”Escape from reality.”

Also the genetics have a big impact on this. One American study suggested that up to 30% of teenagers with Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder had a member of the immediate family with the problem or with obsessive symptoms.

Other studies tend to suggest that if a sufferer’s OCD began in adulthood there is less chance of this person’s offspring contracting it than if the problem was contracted in childhood, specifically if the latter is the type of Obsessive Compulsive personality Disorder that tends to start in childhood (if there are different types).

Symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder

Here are most symptoms of OCPD:

  • Preoccupation  with details, rules, lists, order, organization.
  • Perfection in completing tasks, no matter how important or not important they are.
  • They are overconscientious and inflexible about matters of morality and ethics.
  • Reluctantly of doing tasks, unless they are on their way of doing things.
  • People with OCPD are unable to discard worthless things, although they have no sentimental value.
  • Stubbornness
  • Performing of rituals (such as often hand washing)

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder VS Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder

Although the two disorders sound very similar, they are quite different. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an anxiety disorder, and Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder is a personality disorder.

OCD is characterized by repetitive, distressing thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive, ritualized behaviors (compulsions). The compulsions are performed to ease the anxiety caused by the obsessions. Individuals with OCD are very distressed by their behavior, and fully recognize it as irrational.

Individuals with OCPD, however, are not bothered by their behavior, and it is not distressing to them. For example, a woman may be obsessed with cleaning, and her family may be extremely bothered by her behavior, but she just doesn’t see the problem. So unlike OCD,  she does not see her behavior as irrational. That is the effect of obsessive compulsive personality disorder.