Articles Index

OCD Spectrum Disorders
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders provides a specific definition of OCD that includes the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions that cause major distress or disruption to daily living. However, there are also a number of other disorders that while not technically meeting the DSM diagnostic criteria for OCD, fall within the so-called OCD spectrum. This spectrum captures different clusters of symptoms that are reminiscent of, but not exactly the same of OCD.

Compulsive Hoarding
Pathological or compulsive hoarding is a specific type of behavior characterized by acquiring and failing to throw out a large number of items that would appear to have little or no value to others, severe cluttering of the person’s home so that it is no longer able to function as a viable living space and significant distress or impairment of work or social life.

OCD Subtypes
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) provides a broad definition of OCD that includes the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions that cause major distress or disruption to daily living. However, the way in which symptoms of OCD are experienced varies widely from person to person. Clinicians and researchers have suggested that OCD can be divided into different subtypes based on the nature of the symptoms experienced.

Postpartum-Onset OCD
It is not uncommon for new mothers to experience a wide array of emotions following the arrival of a new child. The postpartum period has long been known to be a time of increased risk for the appearance, worsening or recurrence of mood and anxiety disorders. A number of studies have suggested that the postpartum period may also present a risk for the onset or exacerbation of OCD.

Childhood-Onset OCD
Although many people think of OCD as a disorder that affects only adults, a similar percentage of children are also affected. While there are many similarities between adult-onset and childhood-onset OCD, there are also many important differences. As well, some cases of childhood-onset OCD, such as PANDAS, may have causes that are unique to children.

Skin Picking
Pathologic skin picking is a mental illness in which you compulsively pick your skin to remove small irregularities such as moles or freckles. Although classified as an impulse control disorderit has been suggested that skin picking is related to OCD.

What Is Trichotillomania?
Trichotillomania (TTM) is an impulse control disorder in which the affected person repeatedly pulls out hair from any part of the body for non-cosmetic reasons. Owing to the compulsive nature of this behavior, it has been suggested that TTM may be a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

PANDAS: An Autoimmune Form of Childhood OCD
Although we usually think of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) as being caused by a combination of stress, genetic factors and an imbalance of neurochemicals such as serotonin, there is growing evidence that a specific form of childhood of OCD may actually be an autoimmune disorder.