confused

[chloe516]

I was diagnosed with ADHD and OCD. I am confused about how the two are possible together. I understand that it is possible, I certainly have symptoms of both (I have to line up everything perpendicularly, no one else is allowed to go near my laundry...btw I know these are irrational I just can't help it) and both severely impact my life. I was just wondering how.

I feel that at times my ADHD overrules my OCD and at other times my OCD overrules my ADHD. Anyone else have this experience? How does this happen?

[chameleon]

I have that combination too Chloe - along with a few others.
You know the hyperfocussing part of AD/HD? I think that makes the OCD worse, or the OCD makes it worse.
There are a lot of comorbid conditions with AD/HD. We, as AD/HDers try to make sense of a world that we're not in sync with. I think our attempts to figure it out lead us to anxiety and OCD type problems.
I believe that, for me anyway, OCD is much like superstition. I'm trying to get control of my life in the same way our ancient ancestors did - "My crops died! The Sun must be mad at me! I should turn in circles 3 times and hang a chicken above my doorway!" or tap each wall I pass 3 times, or get all the cup handles pointing the same direction in the cupboard, etc.

[chloe516]

I do stuff like that too, if I accidentally hit one part of my body on something, I have to do the same to the other. I can only control that urge if I got hurt (thank heavens OCD is not that cruel) same with scratching, always have to be symmetrical. When counting I always have to count three times, have to have labels facing me a certain way. Does it bother anyone else when the cap on the pen does not line up with the words?? If I use pens with more than one line of words, I have to line it up with the middle line. I'm lucky that my routines are pretty well streamlined and don't take up too much time, the biggest area where this affects me is my relationships with others, I can't stand it when things are not "just so." Maybe it is a subconsious way of overcompensation for my lack of structure with ADHD, it still just seems kind of counterproductive to have the two together. Sometimes it feels like I am fighting myself to see whether the OCD or ADHD will win. Never a dull moment in my mind!!

[chameleon]

Interesting. I see my ADHD and OCD as a combined force - kind of like brother and sister. But you see yours as opposing forces, like if one could win the other would go away?
Maybe to you, if OCD won then you would feel in complete control of your surroundings - including getting a handle on your ADD symptoms?
I keep ending up at the same spot in my posts - that OCD, to me, is an attempt to gain control over a chaotic ADD life.
That's not how you see it?