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OCD and Depression

Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Question: I have OCD and am also depressed. Which should be treated first?

Answer: OCD is a very difficult--and often depressing--disorder.  There is a high degree of depression among people who suffer from OCD.  If you suffer from both OCD and depression it can be difficult to decide which to treat first.  In general, depression makes treating every other kind of problem more difficult, so it can make sense to target your depressed mood first before you work on your OCD.  In some cases, this is especially true as the treatment for OCD is often demanding and it’s critical that you be “up for it.” However, in other cases, the person becomes depressed as a result of their OCD.  These people often say, “If it wasn’t for my OCD, I wouldn’t be depressed.” In those cases, if the depression is mild and a reaction to the OCD, it can make sense to treat OCD first and see if the depression remits.  Since these treatment decisions can be challenging it’s best to discuss all your symptoms with a mental health professional trained in the assessment and treatment of both OCD and depression.