Obsessive compulsive disorder during the COVID 19 pandemic
The new coronavirus outbreak was characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020. Although the frequency of mental disorders is expected to increase during pandemics, the peculiarities of the COVID 19 pandemic can directly impact the clinical course of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) a condition that affects approximately 3% of the general population. OCD is characterized by the presence of obsessions (which are unwanted and unpleasant thoughts, images, or urges) and/or compulsions (repetitive behaviors or mental rituals aimed at reducing the distress provoked by obsessions) Cleanliness, contamination, and fear of contracting a disease, which are topics of concern for patients with OCD, have now become a central theme of news and social media. Thus, we would like to elaborate on some possible implications of the COVID 19 pandemic for both diagnosis and clinical decision making about OCD.
Revista brasileira de psiquiatria