Clinical Features and Differential Diagnosis of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Abstract

As psychological literacy increases and people become more acquainted with the availability of effective treatments for mental health problems, psychiatrists tend to see more individuals who would usually avoid clinical contact for reasons including shame, embarrassment, and the fear of stigma. Although a treatment gap is still a problem, individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are probably more common in the psychiatrist's office now than in the previous decades. In this article, we review the epidemiology of OCD, the typical presentation of the OCD patient, and the diagnostic process (including the list of differential diagnoses) involved in the assessment of individuals with OCD. Emphasis is given to how to differentiate obsessions and compulsions from symptoms of other neuropsychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety disorders, post-trauma-related disorders, body dysmorphic disorder, autism spectrum disorders, addictions, and organic mental disorders. The psychiatrist should be mindful of these OCD mimickers, so as to avoid inadequate treatments. [ Psychiatr Ann . 2022;52(4):133–137.]