How to Diagnose OCD

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric condition that affects approximately 2 percent of the world's population. OCD is characterized by the frequent intrusion of unwanted, distressing thoughts and physical rituals that are performed to relieve the anxiety regarding the thoughts produced. There are a few telltale signs that can help diagnose OCD.

Instructions

Know How to Diagnose OCD

1. Distinguish between irrational thoughts and simple worry. The obsessive thoughts in people with OCD often deal with things most of us never think much about. Thoughts such as wondering if they are gay or if they really believe in God are common obsessions. Simple worry is rational and could be concern about someone's health or whether a person will get an "A" on an upcoming test.

2. Find out if the patient realizes her obsessions and compulsions are irrational. As a rule, most OCD patients always know that these things are irrational and are a product of their own minds. However, they feel powerless to stop the obsessions and compulsions from happening.

3. Watch for repetitive behaviors. People with OCD usually have rituals they feel they need to perform over and over again. Some of the more common ones are washing the hands multiple times in a row, touching an object a certain number of times whenever the object is encountered and taking a certain number of steps from one location to another.

4. Discover whether the patient feels anxiety if the rituals are not performed. A hallmark of OCD is a feeling of intense discomfort or stress if a ritual is ignored.

5. Find out about the patient's quality of life. If a patient's thoughts and rituals interfere in his daily activities enough to negatively impact his enjoyment of life, then OCD is likely the proper diagnosis.

Tips & Warnings

• The unwanted thoughts in OCD are known as "obsessions" while the physical rituals are "compulsions" (because the sufferer feels compelled to perform these rituals).

• Compulsions need not be present in order to diagnose OCD. A small percentage of OCD sufferers experience only obsessions.

• Because they know their obsessions and compulsions are not rational, many OCD sufferers are reluctant to talk about their condition and go to great lengths to hide it from others.

• OCD can manifest itself at any time, but most commonly appears during a person's teens or 20s.

• Do not attempt to force an OCD patient to suddenly stop their rituals. Doing so could cause them intense distress. Gradually encouraging them to let go of rituals through intensive psychotherapy is the best way to approach the problem.