Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): A Comprehensive Review of Diagnosis, Comorbidities, and Treatment Approaches

Abstract

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder widely recognized for its recurrent obsessions and compulsions, which may cause severe impairment worldwide. This review explores the difficulties in diagnosing OCD, its comorbidities, and its treatment approaches. Psychiatry and neuroscience face noteworthy obstacles in treating OCD, which is frequently misdiagnosed and inadequately addressed. This illness, which causes upsetting symptoms that interfere with day-to-day living, affects not only adults but also children and adolescents to a great extent. Despite the availability of multiple therapy methods, such as pharmacological and psychological approaches, many patients exhibit resistance, emphasizing the necessity for alternative therapies. OCD and other psychiatric conditions like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder substantially overlap, highlighting the complexity of mental health diagnoses. Furthermore, its comorbidity with these diseases further highlights OCD's intricacy. Several therapy considerations have been mentioned, such as using larger dosages of medications and combining different therapeutic approaches. Their association suggests possible common pathogenic pathways between OCD and other psychiatric illnesses. The review concludes that, given the significant number of people who still struggle with chronic symptoms, new treatment techniques and ongoing research are necessary, even in the face of improvements in the understanding and treatment of OCD.

Ketamine Infusion in a Resistant Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Patient in Bangladesh with Severe Suicidal Ideation: A Case Report

“…It started improving following the first infusion: depression: 15 (moderate), anxiety: 3 (normal), and stress: 4 (normal) two hours after ketamine administration. After a transient deterioration (the stressful academic news regarding academic examination), further improvement was observed with a subsequent second and third infusion to a minimum level (3)(4)(5). This minimum DASS-21 score was sustained during discharge and follow-up at the sixth and 12 th weeks (Table 4).…”

“…Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic waxing and waning disorder characterized by recurrent intrusive, upsetting, and unwanted thoughts (called obsessions) and/or ritualized, repetitive behaviors (called compulsions), which are usually performed to reduce the anxiety that the obsessions cause [ 1 - 3 ]. OCD is also considered a neuropsychiatric disease [ 3 ]. World Health Organization (WHO) reported that OCD is one of the top 10 most incapacitating illnesses [ 2 ].…”

“…These patients spend hours contemplating their obsessive ideas. Thus, OCD affects work, study, social relationships, and overall quality of life [ 3 , 63 , 64 ]. Nagy et al reported that those OCD cases suffering from high levels of symptoms had a greater tendency to suicidal ideation and attempts [ 65 ].…”

“…World Health Organization (WHO) reported that OCD is one of the top 10 most incapacitating illnesses [2]. Around 1.9-3.3% of the global population suffers from OCD [3][4][5][6]. One of the considerable complications of OCD is major depressive disorder (MDD) [7][8][9][10].…”

Professional and student understanding of harm obsessive–compulsive disorder: A vignette study.

“…Severe consequences can occur as a result of misidentification for patients—such as the cited case of a woman who lost custody of her children for 5 months following disclosure of intrusive, ego-dystonic thoughts of infant harm without intent (Vollers, 2020), despite the nearly universal prevalence of harming intrusions in the postpartum period (Brok et al, 2017). OCD can be commonly misdiagnosed as depression in the postpartum period given the lack of awareness of childbirth as a trigger for obsessive–compulsive symptoms and the overlap between depressive ruminations and obsessions (Grant, 2014; Singh et al, 2023). It is also not uncommon for severe cases of OCD to be mistaken for a psychotic disorder (Rohanachandra & Vipulanandan, 2019; Shad Mujeeb, 2017).…”