Social OCD: When Symptoms of OCD and Social Anxiety Overlap

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Both social anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder are chronic conditions that may involve debilitating symptoms. They’re two separate diagnoses.

It’s possible for symptoms of OCD and social anxiety to occur together, though. This would mean that you live with two separate conditions. In fact, research suggests that social anxiety disorder is the most frequently co-occurring disorder for those with OCD.

But it’s also possible for someone with OCD to experience obsessions about social rejection for a period of time without receiving a social anxiety diagnosis.

To receive both diagnoses, you would need to meet the diagnostic criteria for both conditions. Diagnostic criteria are established by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, text revision (DSM-5-TR), a reference handbook used by most U.S. mental health professionals.

Diagnostic criteria for OCD

According to the DSM-5-TR, two main criteria must be met for you to receive an OCD diagnosis:

  1. You experience repetitive and persistent obsessions and compulsions.
  2. These obsessions and compulsions take considerable time from your daily routine (more than 1 hour per day) or they cause you significant distress that translates into impairment or inability to function.

Diagnostic criteria for social anxiety

According to the DSM-5-TR, the criteria to receive a social anxiety diagnosis are:

  1. Significant fear about social events where you may be exposed to other people’s judgment and criticism.
  2. Persistent fear that others may recognize social anxiety symptoms in you that may lead you to be humiliated or embarrassed in public. It may also be fear that you won’t know how to act and offend others.
  3. Consistent fear about the same social situations.
  4. Tendency to avoid social situations or experience impairing levels of fear when exposed to those.
  5. Your fear of these social interactions isn’t proportionate to the threat you face.
  6. These symptoms last for at least 6 months but typically more than that.
  7. Your fear of social situations impairs the way you function at work, school, and in relationships.
  8. These symptoms cannot be explained by an injury, disease, or substance use.
  9. These symptoms cannot be explained by any other anxiety disorder or mental health condition.
  10. If you live with any injury, disease, or condition, your fear is unrelated to those or impairing.