Comorbidity and OCD: Inseparable entities - guest post by Alexis Bonari

As documented in the American Journal of Psychiatry, researchers have found that all four recognized dimensions of obsessive-compulsive symptoms are associated with other anxiety and mood disorders. Comorbidity implies the incidence of two or more disorders in a given patient, so the fact that all instances of OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) occur with additional health concerns should alert diagnosed individuals to the probability of latent and possibly untreated problems. Research findings showed that the most common comorbid concerns for OCD sufferers were post-traumatic stress disorder and panic disorder. These results suggest that traumatic life experiences influence the development of OCD and related psychological problems, a connection that could be valuable in both diagnostics and treatment of OCD. Future inquiry is likely to address the possibility of treating OCD through its comorbid disorders, which can appear to be exaggerated manifestations of obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

Stein, Murray B. “Worrying About Obsessions and Compulsions.” The American Journal of Psychiatry March 2009, 166(3), 271-273

Bio: Alexis Bonari is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at onlinedegrees.org and performs research surrounding online colleges and education. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop. You can see Alexis' web site by clicking on the title of this post.