Addiction a form of OCD?

I have never heard of a link between addiction and OCD, but I was wondering what your take on it is. What is addiction if not OCD? Whether addiction to drugs/alcohol, shopping, gambling, etc., it is an obssesive and compulsive act that is irrational. A person with OCD who compulsively washes his hands knows that it is irrational, but can't help the act. Someone addicted to gambling will obssess over winning, act compulsively and irrationally. An alcoholic who takes that first drink knowing that it will have disasterous consequences is acting out of compulsion and irrationally. All addictions can be analyzed like this. I"m not saying that everyone with OCD has addictions. But I'm wondering if all addicts have OCD? The thought crossed my mind b/c I have mild OCD and I have a history of substance abuse. My addictions have been my ultimate obsessive complusive behavior (and in that regard, not so mild.) So it just made me wonder if there's a link. I would like to hear your thoughts.Thanks!

I believe it is but get help a support group or an expert in the field.

Wow, I hope you are not still clouding up your brilliant brain. Your question is well-thought and your conclusions are very interesting. I can see where you linking the behaviors and have never thought of it this way. I recently saw a documentary on a man who murdered his entire family and blamed it on his severe, but untreated OCD. He said that although he knew the behavior was wrong, once it got into his head he felt compelled to follow through, this could also be said of addictive behavior. You should follow through and start writing down your thoughts on this, you may discover a link that could eventually save your life and the lives of others.

Unrelated!

It makes good sense to me that they are connected. I feel we all have gradations of addiction, starting with basic relationship desires. Why is it that someone can occupy our thoughts more than another? Some relationships turn obsessive and are unhealthy, and that is certainly an addiction, no? Hobbies can be addictions, no? I guess it is terminology we are speaking of here and whether the particular object of the ocd is harmful or harmless ( alcohol vs handwashing) But I salute you for analyzing this and overcoming ones weaknesses is a huge triumph since we are dealing with a physiology and brain function that is pre programmed.

I'm sure that chronic addictions, and OCD, share many similar characteristics, and it wouldn't surprise me if they were found to be controlled by similar parts of the brain, or otherwise have common causes and effects. Personally I wouldn't think that one was simply a symptom of the other, though. I think they may just be conditions with a lot of parallels and/or connections.

No that we all do not have a degree.. but if u read, i think u will find, that different type of mental illness are related in some way.. OCD, is addictive in motions and actions !!!. Alcoholics, gamblers, shoppers, etc, get addictive..
IT IS ALL IN THE BRAIN, just like people who are bi-polar., the ans. is very complex and takes years of studying mental illness. Hope this helps.