I know for many Anxiety is a result of OCD but for me it seems to be the opposite. I realise now that the OCD is a coping mechanism that I have for dealing with the anxiety.

As in, I am anxious I might have a bad day so I will apply my 'lucky' make-up in certain fashion and order; even the layout of the products is just so across my counter.

But for my son on the otherhad, the OCD seems to be what drives the anxiety. As example, he will come to my place and start lining things up. He sees I have noticed and he stops. Yet he keeps looking at what he left undone and I know he is agonizing with his anxiety.

[Skeezyks]

I guess it perhaps can be sort-of a vicious circle, as they say. One starts out with one thing, either the OCD or the anxiety. That causes the other to develop. And back-&-forth they go. OCD has never been a major component of my mental health struggles I don't think. But I've certainly always had my little obsessive-compulsive quirks. And I also presume that mine have been a coping mechanism for dealing with anxiety.

[*Laurie*]

It seems to me that anxiety and OCD feed off each other. I can't discern which comes first. They are such enmeshed disorders.