Obsessive-compulsive disorder: comparison of the clinical characteristics of early-onset OCD with late-onset OCD of a sample of Saudi adults

Obsessive-compulsive disorder: comparison of the clinical characteristics of early-onset OCD with late-onset OCD of a sample of Saudi adults

Introduction

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was formerly known as “obsessive compulsive neurosis,” and occasionally is stated as “délire de doute” a French phrase which means delusions of doubt or “délire de toucher,” meaning an abnormal urge to touch objects. OCD is considered as a common disorder that prevails lifetime and it has a prevalence rate of 2 to 3%. It is almost equally common among both the genders. (DSM-IV-TR)

Furthermore DSM-IV-TR describes obsession as the recurrent and persistent thought that hinders in a person's working ability and is often described as a pathological quality of these unwanted thoughts. The thoughts and the impulses are not like simple worried of day to day problems. The person attempts to ignore and not give into his impulses and tries to neutralize these thoughts by doing another actions or thinking other thoughts. The person understands that these obsessional thoughts are not imposed on him without his own doing.

However compulsion can be defined on what the individual performs and behaviour or mental acts. In the first criteria the individual is carrying out an act and repeating it, this is because the obsession becomes the compulsion for the person to carry it out. The behaviours and mental acts help prevent the dreadful situation faced. (DSM-IV-TR)

The patients usually are overwhelmed by the recurring obsessions and compulsions; mostly it is both of these characteristics. Obsessions may be related to any images, ideas, thoughts, fears, doubts or impulses. Compulsion may also manifest in variety of ways meaning that the person may want to carry out an action such as touching, counting, checking, arranging objects symmetrically arranged, cleaning or repeatedly wash their hands. These compulsions are relieved once the patient gives into the compulsion.

Those who suffer from OCD generally recognize their obsessions and compulsions as irrational and may be become further distressed after this realization. This disorder prevails among children and adults; however adults can realize their obsessions and compulsions whereas the children are an exception to this disease.

Generally when talking about this disease, its causes has been rooted that of both psychological and biological factors, although the degree to which these each factors affects are different. The evolutionary psychological has the perspective that the mild or moderate version of compulsive behaviour takes an evolutionary course and is modified into a compulsion. This is because of the predisposing genes each individual carries. Biological factor takes into the anatomy of a person, such that that the neurotransmitter serotonin abnormalities have been rooted to its cause.

OCD generally doesn't discriminate; children and adults belonging to both the sex are affected by it, neither does it discriminate on the bases of the race, cast, creed and ethnicity. It is not limited to any specific social economical strata as it can affect anyone all over the ...