8 Questions
What percentage of OCD patients have a positive family history?
50%
What is the primary purpose of obsessions according to psychoanalytic theory?
To prevent undesirable ideas from entering consciousness
What is the lifetime prevalence of OCD?
2–3%
What is a common comorbid condition found in OCD patients?
Depression
What is the age of onset for OCD?
Early twenties
What is a common type of compulsion in OCD?
Cleaning
What is the primary treatment approach for OCD?
Treat comorbid medical and psychiatric conditions
What is a characteristic of obsessions in OCD?
The patient recognizes the thoughts as their own and excessive
Study Notes
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Characterized by ego dystonic, time-consuming obsessions and compulsions that interfere with daily life
- Patients recognize their thoughts as excessive and usually try to resist them, but unsuccessfully
Theories of OCD
- Psychoanalytic theory: obsessions prevent undesirable ideas from entering consciousness, e.g. unconscious conflicts (sexual and aggressive)
- Behavioural theory: compulsions decrease anxiety, leading to reinforcement of the condition
- Biological theory:
- 50% positive family history
- 5-HT abnormalities
- Frontal cortex and basal ganglia abnormalities
- Anankastic premorbid personality traits in 70% of patients
Comorbidity and Prevalence
- 30% of OCD patients have comorbid depression
- Symptoms are exacerbated by depression
- Lifetime prevalence: 2-3%
- Male:Female ratio: 1:1
- Age of onset: usually by early twenties
Symptoms
- Obsessions: persistent thoughts, images, doubts, or impulses that are worrying, blasphemous, obscene, or socially unacceptable
- Content may involve dirt/contamination, sex, aggression, religion, or orderliness
- Compulsions: stereotyped acts, recognized as excessive, unreasonable, or exaggerated, often involving cleaning, repeating, checking, orderliness, or hoarding
- Mental rituals to decrease anxiety, e.g. counting
Differential Diagnosis
- Anankastic personality disorder
- Depression
- Psychosis (e.g. schizophrenia)
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Phobic disorders
- Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome/tic disorders
Treatment
- Treat comorbid medical and psychiatric conditions
- (More information needed to complete this section)
A psychology quiz about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, its symptoms, and theoretical approaches. Learn about ego dystonic thoughts, anxiety, and the psychoanalytic and behavioral theories behind OCD.
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