Stimulant meds, like Ritalin, that are prescribed for ADHD aren't effective for OCD. SSRI anti-depressant meds prescribed for OCD aren't usually helpful for ADHD symptoms although they might be prescribed if there is a co-exsisitng condition of depression.
Adderall and other stimulant medications are not a first-line treatment for OCD. In some anecdotal cases, they may worsen OCD symptoms. There is also a higher risk of dependency. However, doctors commonly prescribe them for people who have both OCD and ADHD.
Focus on something outside of your mind.
In other words, distract yourself by staying busy. Do something intense that you're naturally drawn to — for example, playing a video game or mountain biking. You want it to be something that will captivate 100 percent of your attention.
However, ADHD stimulant medication can sometimes make OCD worse. Patients with ADHD and OCD sometimes find that stimulants make it difficult to focus on anything but their obsessions. For others, stimulants may positively affect OCD, or they may have no effect on OCD symptoms.
They include fluvoxamine (Luvox), sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), and paroxetine (Paxil). They can help by boosting serotonin levels in the brain.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are two different mental health conditions. OCD involves obsessive thoughts while ADHD makes it hard to focus and involves hyperactivity and impulsivity.
Overthinking can be an all-natural process, it can also be the result if the creative and overly active ADHD brain. While most believe overthinking to be a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder, it' actually relates more to ADHD.
While most people associate ADHD with hyperactivity and impulsivity, it can also manifest in more subtle ways, such as through intrusive thoughts and overthinking.
ADHD brains overflow with creativity, passion, and excitement — especially for new experiences. They seek out stimulation and then hyperfocus on the source when they find it. One end result: For adults with ADHD, hobbies often accelerate from interests into obsessions in T-minus one week.
Other medications that help in controlling intrusive thoughts are: Paroxetine (Pexeva)—prescribed only for adults. Fluoxetine (Prozac)—for children above seven years and also for adults. Sertraline (Zoloft)—for children above six years and for adults.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) can be treated. The treatment recommended will depend on how much it's affecting your life. The 2 main treatments are: talking therapy – usually a type of therapy that helps you face your fears and obsessive thoughts without "putting them right" with compulsions.
Many people with ADHD express frustration with the frequency and depth of negative and intrusive thoughts. These thoughts can be painful, and they may grow and grow until they affect daily life.
While the medications do not have to interact with one another, there can be significant reactions. Stimulant treatment for ADHD, for example, may exacerbate OCD symptoms. As stimulants increase attention and focus, they may also lead an individual with comorbid OCD to focus more on the obsessive thought.
Thirty to 50 percent of individuals with ADHD also have a learning disability, difficulty regulating emotions (anxiety, mood disorder), anger, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and/or a tic disorder. It is essential to identify each problem and treat it appropriately.
People with autism, engineers, and those with ADHD tend to say they think in pictures; teachers, in words, and when a word-thinker hears that there are those who think not in words, but pictures, they often are flabbergasted, taken aback, and have a hard time bending their mind around this alien thought form.
The way that OCD can manifest in those with ADHD is by acting as a coping mechanism and/or strategy to help be more efficient in their day-to-day tasks.
Obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) as a side effect of methylphenidate have rarely been reported. There are occasional case reports describing these in children and adolescents.
People struggling with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) are often misdiagnosed as having other psychological conditions. One of the most common misdiagnoses for this population is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This diagnostic problem arises for two reasons.
The bottom line
OCD can manifest in four main ways: contamination/washing, doubt/checking, ordering/arranging, and unacceptable/taboo thoughts. Obsessions and compulsions that revolve about contamination and germs are the most common type of OCD, but OCD can cover a wide range of topics.
About 30% of people with ADHD have co-occurring anxiety disorders, including OCD. 7 Those who have problems with low dopamine and/or norepinephrine and high levels of serotonin may indeed have both OCD and ADHD. In these cases, it is extremely important to treat both disorders.
Dexamphetamine may be more suitable for ADHD with associated OCD (4). Recent case reports (5, 6) have implied that dexamphetamine improves OCD symptoms, further suggesting the need for more research into dopaminergic and serotonergic interactions in OCD (7).