a diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (ocd) is based on your symptoms medical history and a physical examination. your doctor may also want a mental health assessment which is an evaluation of your emotional functioning and your ability to think reason and remember (cognitive functioning). a mental health assessment may include an examination of your nervous system written or verbal tests and laboratory tests (such as blood and urine tests) as well as a review of your appearance mood behavior thinking reasoning memory and ability to express yourself. many people with ocd live with the condition for years before being diagnosed or they go without treatment because they are afraid or embarrassed to talk about their symptoms. answers to three initial questions may help your health professional diagnose whether you have ocd: 6 do you have repeated thoughts that cause anxiety and that you cannot get rid of no matter how hard you try? do you wash your hands frequently or keep things extremely clean and neat? do you excessively check things? if your health professional suspects you have ocd he or she will look for a full range of symptoms that will confirm the diagnosis including: 1 recurrent and persistent thoughts impulses or images that are intrusive and inappropriate cause anxiety or distress and are not simply excessive worries about real-life issues. attempts to suppress or ignore the thoughts or get rid of them with other thoughts or actions. a recognition that the obsessions are created in your own mind and don't make sense. repetitive behaviors such as hand-washing ordering praying or checking that you're driven to do in response to the obsession. the behaviors are aimed at preventing or reducing distress or preventing a dreaded event. for a diagnosis of ocd the obsessions or compulsions must be time-consuming (more than 1 hour a day) or greatly interfere with your normal routine at work or school and affect social activities and relationships. early detection early detection and proper treatment is very important in improving the course of ocd. this disorder is often a long-lasting (chronic) condition that will need to be monitored throughout your life. webmd medical reference from healthwise this information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information. © 1995-2011 healthwise incorporated. healthwise healthwise for every health decision and the healthwise logo are trademarks of healthwise incorporated.
what exams and tests help doctors to evaluate or test people for obsessive-compulsive disorder ocd?