Curious

[prayerbear]

I am interested to know if a person can have ADD and OCD at the same time and if so, what is it like for them? If anyone has this situation, please tell me what your life is like. My doctor says the medicine for OCD and ADD work directly opposite on the brain.

Also, are the brains of OCDers and ADD ers completely different from normal brains or each other? Thanks for the info!

miss clean

(cleanaholic notorious)

 

[prayerbear]

I am interested to know if a person can have ADD and OCD at the same time and if so, what is it like for them? If anyone has this situation, please tell me what your life is like. My doctor says the medicine for OCD and ADD work directly opposite on the brain.

Also, are the brains of OCDers and ADD ers completely different from normal brains or each other? Thanks for the info!

miss clean

(cleanaholic notorious)

 

[David Baxter PhD]

It is certainly possible to have OCD and ADHD in the same individual.

As for the question of the medications, the comment about them acting in "opposite" ways isn't exactly true. OCD is often treated with SSRI medications (a family of so-called antidepressant medications) which primarily act to "boost" serotonin levels in the brain. The most common medication for ADHD is a stimulant such as Ritalin or dexedrine, which seems to act by boosting the levels of another neurotransmitter, dopamine. However, one of the antipdepressants, Wellbutrin, also has a more direct effect on dopamine rather than serotonin. In addition, many ADHD individuals benefit from the use of SSRIs so at least for some individuals having both OCD and ADHD the SSRI may be the best single medication.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

It is certainly possible to have OCD and ADHD in the same individual.

As for the question of the medications, the comment about them acting in "opposite" ways isn't exactly true. OCD is often treated with SSRI medications (a family of so-called antidepressant medications) which primarily act to "boost" serotonin levels in the brain. The most common medication for ADHD is a stimulant such as Ritalin or dexedrine, which seems to act by boosting the levels of another neurotransmitter, dopamine. However, one of the antipdepressants, Wellbutrin, also has a more direct effect on dopamine rather than serotonin. In addition, many ADHD individuals benefit from the use of SSRIs so at least for some individuals having both OCD and ADHD the SSRI may be the best single medication.