Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) is characterized by an inflexible adherence to rules or systems or an affinity to cleanliness and orderly structure.

OCPD is sometimes referred to as Anankastic Personality Disorder.

Although they may be similar, Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) is a different condition from the more commonly known Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). OCD is often characterized by a repetition or adherence to rituals. OCPD is characterized more by an unhealthy adherence to perfectionism.

People with OCPD are prone to Splitting - the unyielding separation of people and issues into "black and white" or "all good and all-bad" categories - with little room for any compromise or middle ground.

OCPD people may be very mistrusting of others who may not hold the same convictions or understand their need for things to be just right. They may have trouble delegating, trusting others, sharing responsibilities or compromising. They may be obsessively clean or hygienic.

DSM-IV-TR Criteria for Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) is listed in the DSM-IV-TR as a "Cluster C" (anxious or fearful) Personality Disorder.

Text in Bold Italics is quoted from the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic & Statistical Manual (DSM-IV)

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) is defined by exhibiting at least four of the following:

1. Preoccupation with details, rules, lists, order, organization, or schedules to the extent that the major point of the activity is lost.
2. Showing perfectionism that interferes with task completion (e.g., is unable to complete a project because his or her own overly strict standards are not met).
3. Excessive devotion to work and productivity to the exclusion of leisure activities and friendships (not accounted for by obvious economic necessity).
4. Being over conscientious, scrupulous, and inflexible about matters of morality, ethics, or values (not accounted for by cultural or religious identification).
5. Inability to discard worn-out or worthless objects even when they have no sentimental value.
6. Reluctance to delegate tasks or to work with others unless they submit to exactly his or her way of doing things.
7. Adopting a miserly spending style toward both self and others; money is viewed as something to be hoarded for future catastrophes.
8. Shows rigidity and stubbornness.

It is important to note that while a person may exhibit any or all of the characteristics of a personality disorder, it is not diagnosed as a disorder unless the person has trouble leading a normal life due to these issues.

A formal diagnosis of OCPD requires a mental health professional to identify 4 out of the above 8 criteria as positive. Some people with OCPD may exhibit all 8, most will exhibit only a few.

Nobody’s perfect. Even normal healthy people will experience or exhibit a few of the above criteria from time to time. This does not make a person OCPD.

Understanding the clinical criteria for Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) is helpful but learning how to cope with having a loved-one who suffers from OCPD is quite different and is not covered in any psychological manual.

One of the most effective ways we have found to deal with that is to get support from people who understand what it feels like to be in a relationship or be a family member of someone who suffers from a personality disorder and have learned how to cope. You can find people like that at our Support Forum.

OCPD Support Groups & Links:

Out of the FOG Support Forum - Visit the support forum here at Out of the FOG.

http://ocpd.freeforums.org/index.php - Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder Support Group - for those with OCPD and their loved ones.

For More Information & Support...

If you suspect you may be in a relationship with or related to someone who suffers from a personality disorder, we encourage you to learn all you can and gather as much support as you can to help you learn how to cope. Click here to learn about more Common Behaviors of Personality Disorders, learn about the good ideas and mistakes that others in similar situations have made in Common Behaviors of Non-Personality Disordered-People. Learn the essential terminology and vocabulary at our Personality Disorder Glossary. Follow our Links to related sites, discover key Books about personality disorders or read the real-life stories of others and discuss your own situation in the Introductions section of our Out of the FOG Support Forum.