Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Oxford Psychiatry Library

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by obsessional thinking, compulsive behaviour and varying degrees of anxiety, depression, and de-personalization. Studies have shown OCD to be one of the more common psychiatric disorders, with a lifetime prevalence estimated at 2%-3%, approximately twice that of schizophrenia. OCD is also considered to be one of the most disabling of psychiatric disorders (and medical disorders for that matter) and presents atremendous economic and social burden, both for the individual/family and for society at large. In contrast to other psychiatric conditions of a comparable or lesser prevalence and patient burden, relatively little is understood about the aetiology, neural substrates and cognitive effects of OCD. This book provides clinicians with a succinct and practical introduction to the diagnosis, evaluation, and management of OCD and OCD-related conditions. Individual chapters cover the phenomenology, psychobiology, pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy of OCD. The book also includes a helpful resources chapter, including reproductions of the major rating scales used to assess patients with OCD (Y-BOCS, CY-BOCS, DY-BOCS, and CGI) as well as information sources for both clinicians and patients. The book serves as an invaluable quick reference for clinical psychiatrists, trainee psychiatrists, psychiatric specialist nurses and other mental health care professionals, as well as interested general practitioners.