Obsessions are cyclic, useless, disturbing thoughts or impulses that stimulate considerable anxiety in an individual, even though the individual recognizes that these thoughts and impulses are irrational or pointless. Compulsions, which more often than not follow obsessions, are repetitive, ritualistic mental or stereotypic behaviors that an individual feels compelled to perform in order to reduce the anxiety aroused by associated obsessions. Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder complain of anxiety-producing intrusive thoughts and/or perform repetitive, anxiety-reducing rituals. A combination of behavior therapy and drug therapy is generally beneficial in this relatively common disorder. Behavior therapy consists of exposing patients to anxiety-provoking situations and helping them avoid ritualistic responses. Drug therapy appears to work by blocking serotonin reuptake in the brain. Obsessive-compulsive disorder has aroused the curiosity of medical investigators since before the turn of the century. (Bolton D, Collins S, Steinberg D (1983)
Even though obsessive-compulsive disorder affects children, adolescents, and adults, whether it’s juvenile (child and adolescent) and adult forms are part of a developmental continuum or different subtypes of a disorder that share phenotypic features remains unknown. Considering the likely heterogeneity of OCD, whether juvenile OCD is the same or a variant of the disorder can have important clinical and scientific implications because it may further our understanding of this disorder, its etiology, and perhaps its treatment. The symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder commonly wax and wane, but complete remission is unusual. The disorder is often accompanied by considerable psychosocial disability, usually in proportion to the severity of the symptoms. Frequently, patients with mild obsessive-compulsive disorder can continue to function, despite the interference and distress caused by the disorder. (Apter A, Bernhout E, Tyano S (1984),
Males and females are affected evenly, with onset usually occurring in late adolescence. Symptoms consist of interfering thoughts that lead the patient to perform repetitive rituals that interfere with daily living. Although patients are typically distressed by these thoughts and rituals, they seldom volunteer their symptoms.......................
