Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders

Changes DSM-IV to DSM-V

  • New disorders under “obsessive-compulsive and related disorders”
    • Hoarding disorder
    • Excoriation (skin-picking) disorder
    • Substance-/ medication-induced obsessive-compulsive and related disorder
    • Obsessive-compulsive and related disorder due to another medical condition
    • Trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder; has been moved from “impulse-control disorder not elsewhere classified”)

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Characterized by unwanted, intrusive, unreasonable egodystonic urges (obsessions) that create sx of anxiety, and are resolved with a compulsion that relieves the symptoms. In other words, the patient has urges that create symptoms of anxiety that can only be resolved by a certain compulsion

  • Common obsessions
    • Germs
    • Organization
    • Counting
    • Checking
  • Differentials
    • Impulse-control disorder: urges are egosyntonic (Kleptomania, pyromania)
    • OCPD: rational, but disproportionate, fixation of perfection, scrupulousness; Egosyntonic (not similar at all in terms of Sx)
  • Treatment
    • Biological
      • SSRIS
    • Psychotherapy
      • Relaxation therapy
      • Exposure therapy
      • CBT

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Characterized by preoccupation with a specific body part(s), believing that it is misformed or abnormal, despite convincing and objective evidence that it is not. Frequently comorbid with anxiety disorders (esp. OCD)

  • Parts commonly involved
    • Skin
    • Hair
    • Nose
    • Weight
  • Differentials
    • Delusional disorder, somatic type. dx if preoccupation is bizarre
    • Anorexia nervosa: pt wrongly views self as overweight AND shows signs of malnutrition (BMI <17.5)
    • OCD: The patient will engage in a compulsion to relieve anxiety about the body part
  • Treatment
    • Individual psychotherapy (mainstay)
    • SSRIs