OBSESSIVE-

COMPULSIVE
DISORDER

Mrs. Ekjot Kaur

Lecturer, SNS&R
 INTRODUCTION
 Obsessions – are unwanted thought images
that effect lot of stress and anxiety

 Compulsions – are behaviors or acts that are

carried out to reduce anxiety

 Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is

a mental disorder where people feel the need to
check things repeatedly, perform certain routines
repeatedly.
DEFINITION

 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a

common, chronic and long-lasting disorder in
which a person has uncontrollable,
reoccurring thoughts (obsessions) and
behaviors (compulsions) that he or she feels
the urge to repeat over and over.
Classification

F42 Obsessive-compulsive disorder

F42.0 Predominantly obsessive thoughts or ruminations

F42.1 Predominantly compulsive acts

F42.2 Mixed obsessional thoughts and acts

F42.8 Other obsessive-compulsive disorders

F42.9 Obsessive-compulsive disorder, unspecified

 PREDISPOSING FACTORS
1.Genetic factors

 OCD in twins is significantly higher for monozygotic

twins than for dizygotic twins .
 CONT..
2. Brain Structure and Functioning

 Imaging studies have shown differences

in the frontal cortex and subcortical
structures of the brain in patients with
OCD.
 3.biocamical factors
Neurotransmitter Levels
Serotonin level is abnormal

“normal.jpg” “ocd.jpg
”
 CONT
4. Environmental factors
 People who have experienced

abuse (physical or sexual) in

childhood or other trauma are
at an increased risk for
developing OCD.
SYMPTOMS
Obsession symptoms
 Fear of contamination or dirt
 Having things orderly

and symmetrical
 Aggressive

thoughts about harming

yourself or others
 Unwanted thoughts,

including aggression, or
sexual or religious
subjects
 CONT..
Examples of obsession signs and symptoms include:
 Fear of being contaminated by shaking hands or by
touching objects others have touched
 Doubts that you've locked the door or turned off the
stove
 Intense stress when objects aren't orderly or facing
a certain way
 Images of hurting yourself

or someone else
 Distress about unpleasant

sexual images repeating in

your mind
 CONT…
COMPULSION SYMPTOMS
 As with obsessions, compulsions typically have
themes, such as:
 Washing and cleaning
 Counting
 Checking
 Following a strict routine
 Orderliness
 CONT..
Examples of compulsion signs and symptoms
include:
 Hand-washing until your skin becomes raw
 Checking doors repeatedly to make sure
they're locked
 Checking the stove repeatedly

to make sure it's off

 Counting in certain patterns

 Arranging your canned goods to

face the same way
COMMON OBSESSIONS &
COMPULSIONS
Obsessions Compulsions
 Contamination  Checking
 Pathological doubt  Washing
 Somatic  Counting
 Need for Symmetry  Need to ask or confess
 Aggressive  Ordering & Arranging
 Sexual  Miscellaneous rituals
 DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION
 History taking
 Mental status examination
 M.M.S.E.
 Suggested by demonstration of ritualistic
behaviour that is irrational or excessive
 MRI and CT SCAN

shows enlarged basal

ganglia is some
patient
 TREATMENTS AND THERAPIES
 OCD is typically treated with medication,
psychotherapy or a combination of the two.
Although most patients
1.Pharmacology
 -Antidepressants: main function is to increase
levels of serotonin in the with OCD respond to
treatment, some patients continue to experience
symptoms. Brain. (e.g. Imipramine, fluvoxamine,
sertraline.)
 Anxiolytic drug : these drugs are used to relieve
mild moderate and severe anxiety and induced
sleep(examples ;diagepam, alprozolom)
 TREAT CONT…
2. psychotherapy
 a) Behavior therapy: Behavioral therapy is a
treatment that helps change potentially self-
destructing behaviors. It is also called behavioral
therapy. 
 Exposure and Response Prevention :this is
exposure procedure combined with response
prevention technique for example;
compulsive hand washers are
encouraged to touch contaminated
objects and then refrain from washing
in order to break the negative
reinforcement chain.
 TREAT. CONT
 Thought stopping technique:
it is stopping is a
technique to help an
Individual to learn to
stop unwanted thought .
 Relaxation technique:
it include deep breathing
exercise progressive
muscle Relaxation ,
meditation and music
 TREAT CONT…
b) Group therapy:
It is the form of
psychotherapy in which
a group of patient is
provide psychotherapy
by a therapist as well
as the patient interact
with other and help
problem solving.
 TREAT..CONT

3. OTHER TREATMENT
 ECT : In severe from

OCD . ECT may be

used.
COMPLICATIONS

 Inability to attend work, school or social

activities
 Overall poor quality of life
 Anxiety disorders
 Depression
 Eating disorders
 Suicidal thoughts and behavior
 Alcohol or other substance abuse
 Contact dermatitis from frequent hand-
washing