Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is:

• A pattern of needing things to be orderly and perfect and to do things a certain way

People with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder often:

• Take an unusual interest in rules, schedules, and lists

• Focus on being careful and neat

• Stubbornly need to be in control and plan everything

• Are inflexible and don't like change

• Focus on details instead of what's important

• Resist getting help from others

• Are very rigid in their values and don't make exceptions

Lots of people like an orderly life and try to get details right. However, these kinds of behaviors can become a disorder when too much planning and inflexibility get in the way of relationships or keep people from completing normal tasks.

People with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder often also have depression or abuse alcohol.

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is different from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves unwanted thoughts and repeated actions that are upsetting to the person who has the disorder. In obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, people aren't upset because they believe their habits are helping them reach their goals.

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is probably caused by traits that run in families, such as perfectionism.

Doctors treat obsessive-compulsive personality disorder with:

• Therapy

• Sometimes, antidepressant medicines