ARE OBSESSIONAL THOUGHTS AND WORRY DIFFERENT COGNITIVE PHENOMENA

Worry and obsessional thoughts are cognitive activities that can be found in the general population as well as among various psychopathological states. In addition, these two types of cognitive phenomena are among the defining characteristics of two distinct anxiety disorders: generalized anxiety disorder (worry) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (obsessions). Through a review of the literature, the core features of these cognitive phenomena were compared and contrasted in an effort to determine areas of similarities and differences. The conclusion indicates that although there are areas of overlap, obsessions can be differentiated from worry along several important dimensions. Also, adverse mood state appears to play a critical role when both worry and obsessional thoughts are pathological.