• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Obsessive-compulsive neurosis; OCD

Symptoms:

• Obsessions or compulsions that cause significant distress or interfere with everyday life
• Obsessions or compulsions are not due to medical illness or drug use

The person usually recognizes that the behavior is excessive or unreasonable.

Signs and tests:

The person's own description of the behavior usually leads to diagnosis of the disorder. A physical exam is performed to rule out physical causes, and a psychiatric evaluation is given to rule out other psychiatric disorders. Questionnaires, such as the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, can help diagnosis OCD and track the progress of treatment.

References:

Moore DP, Jefferson JW. Handbook of Medical Psychiatry . 2nd ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2004:167-170.

Rakel RE. Textbook of Family Practice . 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2005:1348-1350.

• Review Date: 5/8/2006
• Reviewed By: Paul Ballas, D.O., Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.