Is annoying indecision part of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
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Not really characteristic of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder per se, but much more characteristic of Generalized Anxiety Disorder and possibly Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder if perfectionism and orderliness as well as other features are present.
"What if" is the hallmark of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and it is usually accompanied by other symptoms ( restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating or mind going "blank", muscle tension or irritability) associated with excessive worry about 2 or more areas (money, health, family, job, etc.) and indecision and ambivalence are classic. It's often associated with depression and low self-esteem as well. Another characteristic of GAD is difficulty falling asleep due to excessive rumination and dwelling over decisions, both those that need to be made as well as those that were already decided.
OCD is usually characterized more by intrusive thoughts that are experienced as intrusive and unreasonable despite a person's attempts to dispell or avoid the thoughts. These thoughts are not simply excessive worries about real situations or decisions. The compulsions are more than habits and are more like rituals often designed to neutralize the obsessive thoughts. (For example: the repetitive thought that my child will be kidnapped by a stranger neutralized by obsessive checking).
The OC Personality is preoccupied with rules, details and order to such an extent that the point of the activity is lost, is overly scrupulous about morals and ethics and tends to be rigid and inflexible in this regard. The OC Personality tends to be controlling and perfectionistic with little ability to appreciate or tolerate other's ways of doing things that differ from their own. The indecision here is associated with an excessive need to be "right" or perfect.
For further info and to examine the differences among the disorders, see the actual diagnostic criteria:
http://www.behavenet.com/capsules/disord...
Diagnosis can be complicated as many features overlap across diagnoses and no disorder is based on only one or two symtoms. There is a wide variety of normal variation as well which does not reach clinical intensity.
I am not a clinician, so I cannot tell you definitively.
What if? is a common question in those with ocd.
I would start by going to www.ocfoundation.org and proceeding from there.
If it is bothersome to you, consult a psychologist.
Particularly if it is preventing you from living your life as fully as you want.
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