Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Analysis

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There is significant evidence to support the hypothesis that obsessive-compulsive disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, and eating disorders are related and may even belong in the same category of disorders known as the Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders. Currently, our understanding of OCD and symptoms that are associated with it lead us to believe that it is a very heterogeneous disorder with at least four distinct symptom dimension subgroups (Matsunaga et al. 2010). Matsunaga et al. (2010), conducted a study in which participants with OCD were categorized into one of four subgroups of symptoms. The researchers in this study found that over a quarter (26%) of their participants could not be easily categorized into any particular group. …show more content…

This means that individuals with BDD/ED are highly likely to be diagnosed with OCD as well, but individuals with OCD are not equally likely to be diagnosed with BDD or ED. Due to BDD/ED being highly comorbid with OCD this may point to a shared pathway between the disorders that may indicate these disorders being on the OCSD. This idea of possible shared pathways gains strength when it is shown that there may be similar neurotransmitter disturbances between ED and OCD with evidence suggesting that individuals with ED and/or OCD show similar disturbances in 5-HT (serotonin) function. A disturbance in serotonin function may help to explain why all three disorder groups respond in varying degrees to …show more content…

For example, nearly all patients with BDD perform at least one type of compulsive behavior that resemble OCD compulsions. Phillips and Kaye (2007) postulates that these resemble OCD compulsion because the behaviors are performed intentionally in response to an obsession, the intent is to reduce anxiety or distress and prevent an unwanted event, most behaviors are repetitive, time consuming, and excessive, the behaviors may be rule bound or done in a specific order, and the completion of the compulsion is not pleasurable to the individual. While OCD and BDD compulsions do differ in their specific focuses, with BDD compulsions being body image oriented, the presence of the obsessions and compulsions still lends support to a relationship between the two. For individuals with eating disorders, in particular anorexia nervosa, the symptoms often also include obsession and compulsions that are body image related and often pertain to symmetry and exactness. There is a difference between the obsessions and compulsions in individuals with anorexia nervosa and OCD-driven compulsions just as there is between OCD and BDD. The obsessions and compulsions of anorexia nervosa are largely ego-syntonic, or aligned with the individuals ideal self-image, and are not necessarily deemed as unwanted

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