OCD Symptoms and Diagnosis

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OCD: Understanding and Coping with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Although the term “OCD” has evolved into a slang exaggeration of a person’s tendency toward perfectionism, in reality OCD is a serious psychological disorder with effects that can leave the sufferer crippled during routine activities. The Web hosts a large body of reliable information on the disorder from some of the country’s top nonprofits, hospitals, and professional societies; in this guide we’ll show you how to access it.

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What Is OCD?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a condition characterized by intense, unwanted, obsessive ... read more »

OCD Symptoms and Diagnosis

The signs and symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder vary among patients. Intense, impulsive thoughts, such as the fear of harming others, the need for symmetry, and incessant doubt, are symptoms of obsession. Examples of compulsive symptoms are constant counting (out loud or to oneself) during everyday activities, continually washing hands or showering, and repeatedly checking on the presence, quality, or condition of something. In this section, you’ll learn more about symptoms and how a psychologist or psychiatrist uses them to make a diagnosis.

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There are no lab tests that can be conducted to diagnose obsessive-compulsive disorder. As a result, most of the diagnostic information you encounter will tell you that an evaluation of the symptoms described by the patient or observed by a doctor is the primary way to determine whether the subject is dealing with a case of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

According to the Merck Manual, diagnoses of OCD are made based on recommendations in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

As a parent, diagnosing obsessive-compulsive disorder in a child can be difficult. Children may attempt to hide their behavior and may have difficulty communicating their thoughts and experiences. The Massachusetts General Hospital School Psychiatry Program and MADI Resource Center has a list of behaviors, at home and at school, that can be indicative of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

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For symptoms …

Revolution Health explains the types of symptoms a patient with OCD would experience in a list format that’s especially useful for quick reference. Symptoms are broken down into obsessions and compulsions.

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MedicineNet has a description of OCD’s symptoms that takes a more descriptive approach than the links provided by Revolution Health.

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For an overview of diagnosis …

The MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia has a short entry on the procedures undertaken by psychologists and psychiatrists to diagnose obsessive-compulsive disorder.

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For the Y-BOCS …

BrainPhysics introduces the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), a test that is used to determine the severity of one’s OCD symptoms and to monitor progress of the condition. The questionnaire asks subjects to rate the severity of their obsessions and compulsions using a 0–4 scale and a series of circumstances. The results of the exam are then used to classify the subject’s case of OCD as being anywhere from subclinical to extreme.

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