Mental health articles
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obsessive compulsive disorder
Differential diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder
Differential diagnosis Normal childhood ritual such as bedtime routine and collecting are not uncommon in early childhood. Symptoms of OCD can present secondary to primary depressive disorders. Children with the autistic spectrum group of disorders may present with repetitive behaviour and sometimes develop full-blown symptoms of OCD. Symptoms of OCD can be associated with schizophrenia […]
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Characteristic features of obsessive-compulsive disorder
Characteristic features Obsessions are recurrent, intrusive thoughts, ideas or images or impulses that the person experiences as ego-dystonic and intensely distressing. One of the core characteristics of obsession in adults is that they are resisted. Resistance to obsessions and compulsions in children is, however, not always present. Common obsessions in childhood focus on contamination, harm […]
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Epidemiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder
While there are striking similarities between the phenomenology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in children and adults, significant differences exist in terms of gender distribution, co-morbidity, familial contribution and developmental issues. Epidemiology Roughly a third of adults have their first symptoms before the age of 15. Earlier estimates of OCD from child psychiatric clinics range from […]
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Case study: obsessive compulsive disorder
Sarah is a 63-year-old widow who was recently referred by her GP after he was contacted by an environmental health agency. Sarah was primarily obsessed that she would lose her wedding ring and this led her to not throw anything away (in case her ring slipped off and she couldn’t find it). She also feared […]
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Definition and diagnosis of Obsessive-compulsive disorder
A DSM-IV diagnosis of OCD is made if the person exhibits either obsessions or compulsions. Obsessions are indicated by the following: 1 The person has recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses or images that are experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and inappropriate and that cause marked anxiety or distress. 2 The thoughts, […]
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Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Case Studies Examples
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Case Studies Examples Harry is a 20-year-old man who is a trainee hairdresser in the local town.He has always loved his job and is enthusiastic and eager to learn. Harry’s obsessive-compulsive trait started when a lady arrived at the salon one day to have her hair styled. On examining the scalp with […]
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Clinical Definition of Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is defined as ‘a chronic and common condition often associated with marked anxiety and depression characterised by obsessions and compulsions’. The obsession relates to thoughts that are constant and disturbing to the person and the compulsion is a driving force that reinforces the idea to act out a certain behaviour, regardless of […]
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Treatment Strategies for OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder)
Behavioural and cognitive behavioural approaches Behavioural treatment of OCD typically involves exposure and response prevention. In this, the individual is exposed to their feared stimulus, frequently in a graded manner, and then helped to prevent avoidance through their use of escape rituals: ‘contaminating’ hands and not washing them, and so on. This is thought to […]
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Causes, Possible Causes of OCD
Genetic factors Evidence of a genetic risk for OCD is mixed. Carey and Gottesman (1981) reported an 87 per cent concordance between MZ twins and a 47 per cent concordance for DZ twins, implying a part genetic explanation for risk of the disorder. By contrast, Andrews et al. (1990) found no evidence of higher concordance […]
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What is Obsessive–compulsive disorder
Obsessions are intrusive thoughts, images or urges that are recognised by the individual to be irrational and unwanted and are usually resisted (the resistance diminishes with chronicity). They may be fears that the person might harm someone or might inadvertently contaminate or infect someone. Although everyone experiences intrusions, the person with OCD tends to assume […]
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