OCD: Comorbid or Associated Conditions
– Leslie E. Packer, PhD

OCD is often seen in combination with other disorders (some of these conditions are also covered on this web site):

  • Non-OCD anxiety disorders:
    • Generalized Anxiety Disorder
    • Social Anxiety Disorder
    • Simple Phobias
    • Panic Disorder
    • Separation Anxiety
    • School avoidance or school refusal
  • Mood disorders:
    • Depression
    • Dysthymia
    • Bipolar Disorder
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
  • Executive Dysfunction
  • Memory deficits
  • Oppositional-Defiant Disorder
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Tic Disorders
  • Trichotillomania (hair pulling)
  • Body dysmorphic disorder (imagined ugliness)
  • Substance Abuse
  • Eating Disorders

The extent of comorbidity estimate between OCD and other conditions appears to be somewhat age-sensitive or age-related. Adolescents with OCD seem to suffer from a significantly higher rate of major depression than do children with OCD. Not surprisingly, perhaps, adolescents with OCD tend to have lower rates of Tourette’s Syndrome than do children with OCD. Separation anxiety, while common in children with OCD, is less prevalent in adolescents with OCD.