Diagnosing obsessive compulsive disorder
Seeking treatment
Many people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) are reluctant to report their symptoms to a GP because they feel ashamed and embarrassed about their condition. People with OCD sometimes make a great effort to disguise their symptoms from their family and friends.
However, if you have OCD there is nothing to feel ashamed or embarrassed about. Like diabetes or asthma, OCD is a chronic (long-term) health condition. It is not your fault that you have it.
Getting help for others
Sometimes, the friends and relatives of a person with OCD play along with their strange behaviour to avoid upsetting them. However, this is not recommended because it can reinforce the person s obsessive compulsive behaviour.
It is better to confront them with the reality of their unusual behaviour, and suggest that they seek medical advice. See OCD - supporting someone with OCD for more information.
Initial screening
When you visit your GP, they will probably ask you a series of questions.
The questions, which form the Fineberg-Zohar screening questionnaire, are a way of determining whether you are likely to have OCD. But, like all screening questionnaires, many people without OCD may score positively on the questionnaire.
The questions may include those listed below.
- Do you wash or clean a lot?
- Do you check things a lot?
- Is there any thought that keeps bothering you that you would like to get rid of but cannot?
- Do your daily activities take a long time to finish?
- Are you concerned about putting things in a special order or are you very upset by mess?
- Do these problems trouble you?
Assessment
If the results of the initial screening questions suggest that you have OCD, the severity of your symptoms will need to be assessed. Assessment may be carried out by your GP or you may be referred to a mental health professional.
There are several different methods of assessment. All of them involve asking a series of detailed questions to find out how much of your day-to-day life is affected by obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviour.
During the assessment process, it is important for you to be open and honest because accurate and truthful responses will ensure that you get the most appropriate treatment.
Types of OCD
The severity of OCD can be determined by how much your symptoms affect your ability to function normally on a day-to-day basis. Healthcare professionals refer to the disruption of daily function as functional impairment. OCD is classified into three levels of severity:
- mild functional impairment obsessive thinking and compulsive behaviour occupy less than one hour of your day
- moderate functional impairment obsessive thinking and compulsive behaviour occupy one to three hours of your day
- severe functional impairment obsessive thinking and compulsive behaviour occupy more than three hours of your day
