OCD and alcohol abuse are a common co-occurring condition. Why? OCD is a complicated mental health disorder, and the way it manifests can be different for everyone. With a wide range of severity for symptoms, it’s not uncommon for people to struggle with OCD and alcohol abuse, as alcohol is a form of self-medication to help quell or limit those symptoms.
Understanding OCD
OCD is a chronic disorder that is often disabling for those who have it. The mental health condition comes with obsessions, thoughts that are uncontrollable, and things about which an individual obsesses. It also comes with compulsions, and these are repetitive physical behaviors that someone might do to try and stop the obsessions.
For example:
- Someone might have an obsession over germs, be terrified of germs from others or in public spaces, and because of that, compulsively wash everything or wash their hands ten times each time
- Someone might have an obsession with everything in perfect order and, because of that, compulsively adjust the items on their desk or table to be in a row or sequence
- Someone might have an obsession with violence and, because of that, compulsively check that windows and doors are locked, routinely unlocking and then locking each door and window in their home five times
Today, there is a deeper understanding of how OCD works and the link between OCD and alcohol abuse.
Impact of OCD on Daily Life
Today, nearly two percent of people have an obsessive-compulsive disorder, and of them, half have severe OCD.
For those who have OCD, the severity of it and the type of obsessions or compulsions they have can significantly disrupt daily life, making it difficult to do things like go to work, maintain friendships or relationships, or participate in hobbies.
How OCD Leads to Alcohol Abuse
It is not uncommon for people with OCD to struggle to control their symptoms, especially if they don’t have a diagnosis or they find that their current level of treatment is insufficient.
In these situations, someone might turn to alcohol as a way of controlling unwanted thoughts or reducing obsessions.
- Research indicates that those with OCD had a twenty-four percent comorbidity rate with alcohol addiction. This is an average of five times that of the general population
- The rates of OCD and alcohol abuse are twice as high compared to comorbidity in other mental health disorders like anxiety or mood disorders
Someone might, for example, find that if they drink enough, they can make their unwanted violent thoughts diminish or go away entirely. So, in order to help sleep, they might drink heavily every night and rely on alcohol to get sleep and control their symptoms.
The more an individual uses alcohol for this purpose, the more likely they are to abuse alcohol.
Other Links Between OCD and Alcohol Abuse
There are other links between OCD and alcohol abuse. Both conditions, particularly in severe forms, have symptoms of:
- Impulsivity
- Compulsiveness
- Deficits in executive functioning
- Neurofunctional dysregulation
- Increased stress
This means that there are many overlapping phenomena between the two, and broadly speaking, those who struggle with OCD are more likely to use substances like alcohol to self-medicate or cope with things like obsessions and compulsions, but this can increase the overlapping symptoms associated with both conditions.
In effect, it becomes a self-fueling cycle where each disorder perpetuates the other, and in the end, the symptoms of OCD get stronger and more severe, which directly impacts the severity of alcohol use and the risk of addiction.
OCD Treatment at Multi-Concept Recovery
At Multi-Concept Recovery, our obsessive-compulsive disorder treatment in Southern California hinges on offering flexible schedules. Clients can participate in a partial day program, an intensive outpatient program, or a traditional outpatient program. This means more clients are able to get the help they need for OCD and alcohol abuse without compromising things like work or school obligations.
Beyond this, our methodology is grounded in new perspectives, new concepts, and a family approach that gives you the highest level of support during your treatment. We combine medication where necessary, therapy, and holistic care to provide you with medication to help stabilize obsessions and compulsions so that you are in a position to better focus on things like stress management techniques and coping mechanisms.
Don’t wait to get help. Let our team give you the tools you need to manage OCD and overcome alcohol abuse.
Ready to get help? Call us at 1-866-957-3859 today.
