i know OCD is different than depression, but i thought it might fit here.

i think a lot of the reason i eat is because i am OCD. i know my emotions factor in as well, but a lot of my eating is simply compulsion.

anyone think i could be right about this? or is it just another excuse?

Oh. I'm pretty OCD about my food too. I have very high compulsion to eat.. So i'm pretty sure it's a factor.

OCD and compulsive binge/comfort eating are not the same thing.

Do you wash your hands more than necessary? Do you count as you touch/tap things? Does it have to be even or odd number of touches every singe time? Do you or check door locks, oven knobs, alarm clocks over and over even though you've already checked at least a dozen times? If you don't do these "rituals" does you mind tell you something bad will happen if you resist so you give in to relieve the anxiety?

A lot of people don't understand what OCD is.

I have had pretty bad OCD since I was in high school ( now 38 ) and I do not believe it has contributed to my weight gain or food issues at all ...I could be wrong, I am no professional, but my OCD tendencies usually don't stem around food at all.

Carri

Yup!

no...i don't do the things you mentioned. but my psychiatrist says that i fit the profile for OCD. he didn't actually give me a diagnosis, but he never has defined my issue. a therapist told me i have signs of OCD as well. i know the rituals you mentioned are definitely signs of OCD. there are a lot of other behaviors that can be attributed to OCD. and varying degrees of how severe it is. i run more along the line of obsessive thoughts, shopping, rearranging things. it feels pretty awful.

My therapist described my thought process as generally "obsessive compulsive" but it was my understanding that I did not actually *have* OCD because I was not obsessively cleaning, or tapping things etc.

Could be completely wrong though. I know it feels awful

I agree that many don't understand OCD, even many mental health professionals. I have found that the more I deal with OCD the more I see how much it influences everything, so yes, OCD and eating/weight issues can be related. In fact, I know when I was anorexic, it was OCD, and some therapists I have worked with have told me there is a link between OCD, depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, etc etc. In fact, some doctors believe there is a link between OCD, paranoia, even schizophrenia. OCD isn't always about counting or washing hands. It was responsible for my "collecting", and dozens of other behaviors that were self destructive and the more I deal with the OCD, the more I realize how ingrained that thinking is in almost everything I do.