Imams’ Experience With and Response to Mosque-Goers With OCD Scrupulosity

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-40
Author(s):  
Mairwen K. Jones ◽  
Lynne M. Harris ◽  
Rajezi Sepideh Esfahani
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Exposure And Response Prevention ◽  
First Line ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Seeking Help ◽  
Thought Action Fusion

AbstractThe experience of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms that have a religious theme is common. Recent research has found that religious participants with religious OCD symptoms frequently turn to religious advisors, such as imams or clergy, for help to understand and alleviate their symptoms. As such, the advice provided by imams or clergy may have an important impact on the response of the person seeking help. This study examined the attitudes, beliefs and experiences of 64 Muslim imams with mosque-goers who had religious OCD symptoms, particularly scrupulosity. This study also examined imams’ familiarity with first-line psychological treatments for OCD such as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Sunni imams from Australia and Shia imams from Iran completed an online survey based on the research of Deacon, Vincent, and Zhang (2012), which was conducted with Christian clergy in the United States. Results showed that the majority of imams were unfamiliar with scrupulosity as a possible symptom of a mental health problem, such as OCD, and with ERP as a recognised treatment for OCD. While 37% of participants reported having been approached by mosque-goers for help with scrupulosity, only 9% referred mosque-goers to mental health professionals, and only one imam reported having referred a mosque-goer for ERP. Sunni imams located in Australia were more likely to provide advice inconsistent with the ERP approach and were also significantly less likely than Shia imams located in Iran to recommend referral to a mental health professional who was not affiliated with their own religious denomination. Finally, Sunni imams had significantly higher scores than Shia imams on Thought Action Fusion (TAF) subscales. Results of multiple regression analysis revealed that TAF explained a considerable amount of the variance related to ERP-inconsistent advice. Research implications and limitations are discussed.

scholarly journals Metaphors of mental illness: a corpus-based approach analysing first-person accounts of patients and mental health professionals

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 85-104
Author(s):  
Marta Coll-Florit ◽  
Antoni Oliver ◽  
Salvador Climent
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Manual Annotation ◽  
Severe Mental Disorders ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
Patient Subgroups

In this paper we describe the building, manual annotation and analysis of a balanced corpus to assess conceptual metaphors on mental illness as used in Spanish blogger writing by patients and mental health professionals. The corpus was structured as eight subgroups: four patient subgroups (composed of persons who declared having been diagnosed with major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder) and four mental health professional subgroups (psychiatrists, psychologists, social educators, nurses). The quantitative analysis identified similarities and differences between groups regarding the volume of metaphors produced and the topics linguistically expressed through metaphors. The most frequent metaphors used by each major group, patients and professionals, were qualitatively analysed, with the principal findings showing a set of source domains used to conceptualize all four severe mental disorders, thus pointing to a common conceptualization of mental suffering irrespective of the specific diagnosis, and two major types of metaphors, WAR and JOURNEY, used by all subgroups of patients and professionals to talk about their first-hand experiences.

scholarly journals Evaluation of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in relation to smartphone use

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 44-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carly A. Kempf ◽  
Kimberly A. Ehrhard ◽  
Steven C. Stoner
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Statistical Manual ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Diagnostic And Statistical Manual ◽  
Dsm 5 ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Smartphone Use

Abstract Introduction The use of smartphones throughout the United States continues to rise. Although smartphones have increased our capacity to access information, there is concern if excessive use may impact mental health. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a relationship exists between smartphone use and the presence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) or behaviors. Methods A 33-item online survey was developed with 19 items relating to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A survey response was considered positive for possible OCS if participants answered at least 3 questions as Most of the time or All of the time for the OCD-related questions structured around the DSM-5 criteria for OCD while also using their smartphone for greater than 2 or more hours per day. Results A total of 308 of 550 subjects identified spending 2 or more hours on their smartphone per day and also answered positively on 3 or more questions designed to identify OCS. A statistically significant difference was discovered between those who used their smartphone for 2 or more hours per day and those who met 3 or more positive criteria for OCS compared to those who used their smartphone less than 2 hours per day (P < .00001). Discussion The results of this study demonstrate a possible relationship between smartphone use and OCS. Additional research needs to be conducted to further investigate these results to determine their significance in clinical practice.

scholarly journals The War Within: A Personal Journey with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder/Complex Post Traumatic Disorder-The Struggle, the Fight, and Recovery

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Support Groups ◽  
The United States ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Resource Information ◽  
Life Sentence ◽  
Seeking Help ◽  
The Right ◽  
Post Traumatic Disorder

For years, I had suffered from OCD. I have been in and out of many psychiatric facilities both in the United States and in Canada. My experiences are complicated but also very informative for those seeking help with OCD. I have been in many crisis situations and have endured many treatments like CBT, mindfulness, guided meditation, ERP, hospitalization, and withstanding very intense OCD and CPTSD residential treatment programs. In time, with the right medical team, support groups, medication and self-motivation to fight against the debilitating symptoms OCD, I have gone from being on LTD for the inability to function and complete daily tasks like showering and dressing without compulsions, to reclaiming back my life and returning back to teaching. I hope to be able to pay it forward and speak to the great resources and staff available at Sunnybrook Hospital. I hope to share my story of struggle and recovery to help bring resource information and hope for those suffering from any mental illness. I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly. But, I have also seen hope and light. I now am able to know how it feels to be able to function again, as well as acknowledge a strength that I could never have known I had if it was not for the experiences I endured. I have the authority to now say OCD is not a life sentence, OCD can, in fact, be managed. I can be the voice that I so desperately needed years ago, when all I wanted to do was end my life because I had a lack of experience around me of seeing those who made it, those who survived and not just survived, but thrive into productive individuals who are able to manage their OCD and be successful.

scholarly journals The Social Costs of Anxiety Disorders

1995 ◽  
Vol 166 (S27) ◽  
pp. 19-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew C. Leon ◽  
Laura Portera ◽  
Myrna M. Weissman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Panic Disorder ◽  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Indirect Costs ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Costs ◽  
Emergency Rooms ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
The Social

Background. The social costs of anxiety disorders, which afflict a substantial proportion of the general population in the United States, are considered.Method. Data from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Epidemiological Catchment Area Program were analysed.Results. Over 6% of men and 13% of women in the sample of 18 571 had suffered from a DSM–III anxiety disorder in the past six months. Nearly 30% of those with panic disorder had used the general medical system for emotional, alcohol or drug-related problems in the six months prior to the interview. Those with anxiety disorders were also more likely to seek help from emergency rooms and from the specialised mental health system. Men with panic disorder, phobias or obsessive–compulsive disorder in the previous six months are more likely to be chronically unemployed and to receive disability or welfare.Discussion. Once correctly diagnosed there are safe and effective psychopharmacologic and behavioural treatments for the anxiety disorders. Nevertheless the burden of anxiety disorders extends beyond the direct costs of treatment to the indirect costs of impaired social functioning.

scholarly journals Duration of untreated illness and response to SRI treatment in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 19-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Umberto Albert ◽  
Francesca Barbaro ◽  
Stefano Bramante ◽  
Gianluca Rosso ◽  
Diana De Ronchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Age At Onset ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Duration Of Untreated Illness ◽  
The Mean

AbstractBackground:The duration of untreated illness (DUI) is a potentially modifiable parameter associated with worst prognosis in several psychiatric disorders, but poorly investigated in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Our aims were to estimate the mean DUI in a large sample of individuals with OCD and its impact on response to the first ever adequate SRI treatment.Methods:We retrospectively examined records of 251 patients with OCD (SCID-I, DSM-IV) who referred to our Department and were prospectively and naturalistically treated according to International Guidelines. The DUI was defined as the interval between age at onset and age at which patients received their first adequate pharmacological treatment. Response rates were compared in subjects with brief (≤24 months) versus long DUI. Logistic regression models predicting response and 12-week Y-BOCS score were run with DUI (among others) as independent variable.Results:The mean DUI was 106.19 ± 118.14 months, with a mean interval between onset of the disorder and when patients sought professional help of 82.27 ± 112.30 months. Response rates were significantly reduced in subjects with a long DUI, using both the cut-off of 24 months and the median value of 60 months. Regression analyses confirmed that a long (>24 months) DUI predicts poorer response and higher Y-BOCS scores at 12 weeks.Conclusions:Our results, although preliminary, seem to suggest that a longer duration of untreated illness in OCD is associated with poorer outcome in terms of response to SRI treatments. It is imperative to do all the possible to shorten the DUI, both by improving access to mental health services, improving the ability of primary care physicians and mental health professionals to recognize OCD, and disseminate best-practice prescription guidelines.

Implication of coronavirus pandemic on obsessive-compulsive-disorder symptoms

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona F. Sulaimani ◽  
Nizar H. Bagadood
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
The United States ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Coronavirus Infection ◽  
Precautionary Measures

AbstractThis review assesses various sources regarding obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms and the coronavirus pandemic via a study of literature related to OCD conditions in the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and India. Coronavirus’s morbidity and its status as a global pandemic transmittable from one person to another has subsequently intensified the personal perception of distress. The projected shortage of vital medical equipment to fight coronavirus due to daily increases in COVID-19 cases creates social unrest. The world confronts perpetual news about high numbers of coronavirus cases, more people in quarantine, and more deaths; those not infected feel increasing fear about its proximity. Social media, print media, and electronic sources offer much advice on how to prevent coronavirus infection. Pandemics extend beyond pathophysiology and medical phenomena to associations with intense psychosocial impact. Studies have established that people with existing mental disorders are prone to relapses, the fear of faulty COVID-19 prevention measures, distress, and suicidal thoughts during pandemics. Precautionary measures aim to slow the spread of coronavirus, but these radical repetitive measures create great anxiety in the mental health of individuals suffering from OCD. Despite the nature of their conditions, these people must adhere to routine processes, such as washing hands, wearing masks and gloves, and sanitizing hands. Given the asymptomatic nature of people suffering from OCD, the routine measures for addressing COVID-19 have a hectic and adverse effect on their mental health and their state of relaxation. Through a systematic literature review, this paper provides insight into the coronavirus pandemic’s implications for OCD symptoms.

scholarly journals International Survey on the Use of Emerging Technologies Among Forensic and Correctional Mental Health Professionals

2021 ◽  
pp. 009385482110420
Author(s):  
Madeleine A. Kirschstein ◽  
Jay P. Singh ◽  
Astrid Rossegger ◽  
Jérôme Endrass ◽  
Marc Graf
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Professional Discipline ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Correctional Mental Health ◽  
Use Of Social Media

Although the global diffusion of e-mental health has increased in recent years, research on the use of technologies in criminal justice settings is limited. To bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted an international online survey ( N = 555) of forensic and correctional mental health professionals from Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and 20 additional countries. Telecommunication technologies and mental health platforms had the highest numbers of users, the broadest scope, and the largest increase in use due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In contrast, the use of social media and advanced technologies was lower, narrower in scope, and remained the same or decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents’ age, professional discipline, country, and clinical setting significantly predicted total technology use in clinical practice. The study findings provide an overview of the current patterns of technology use and point to opportunities for research and development.

scholarly journals Orthorexia nervosa and obsessive-compulsive behavior among college students in the United States

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine B. Costa ◽  
Kholoud Hardan-Khalil
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
The United States ◽  
Orthorexia Nervosa ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Strong Negative Correlation ◽  
Eating Pattern ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Compulsive Behaviors

Background/Objective: Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is a disordered eating pattern and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety condition.  Although ON shares many similarities with OCD, their relationship remains unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of both ON behaviors and OCD behaviors and whether or not an association between ON behaviors and OCD behaviors exist among college/university students in the United States.Methods: Using a cross-sectional, descriptive research design, a convenience sample of 270 college undergraduate students provided data using self-administered questionnaires: ORTO-15 to detect orthorexia behaviors and Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) to detect obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Additionally, the participants completed a demographic questionnaire designed by the authors.  Chi square, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and analysis of variance evaluated the variables of interest using a significance level of .05.Results: The prevalence rate for orthorexia nervosa behaviors was 37% and for obsessive-compulsive behaviors was 38.5%. There was a strong negative correlation (p < .001) between the scores of the ORTO-15 and the scores of the OCI-R. As orthorexia behaviors increased, obsessive-compulsive behaviors like-wise increased.Conclusions: It was concluded that college/university students are a high-risk group for orthorexia nervosa and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Mental health professionals who encounter clients with orthorexic tendencies are encouraged to also screen for obsessive compulsive symptomology as a comorbid problem.

scholarly journals Moderating Roles of Resilience and Social Support on Psychiatric and Practice Outcomes in Nurses Working During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 237796082110242
Author(s):  
Anna E. Schierberl Scherr ◽  
Brian J. Ayotte ◽  
Marni B. Kellogg
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
The United States ◽  
Direct Care ◽  
Behavioral Measure ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Research Reporting ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression

Introduction Staff and equipment shortages and an easily transmissible virus make working in the COVID-19 pandemic demanding physically and psychologically. Nurses on the frontlines are particularly vulnerable to the adversity of working under these conditions, particularly with regard to mental health. Thus, understanding risk and protective factors for this vulnerable and essential group is critical for identifying potential targets of interventions. We had two aims for the current study: (a) to examine work functioning and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress (PTSD) among nurses who did and did not care for patients with COVID-19; and (b) to determine if resilience and social support moderate these relationships. Methods For three weeks in July 2020, nurses across the United States were invited to participate in an online survey collecting data on demographics, resilience, social support, and screening measures of depression, PTSD, anxiety, and distracted practice. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression for each outcome measure. Conclusions Our findings support a growing body of research reporting that nurses are experiencing mental health sequelae during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially those providing direct care to patients with the virus. We found that compared to nurses who did not care for patients with COVID-19, those who did reported increased symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. A novel contribution is our finding that nurses providing direct COVID-19 care also experienced increased levels of distracted practice, a behavioral measure of distraction linking to a potential impact on patient care. We also found that resilience and social support acted as moderators of some of these relationships. Fostering resilience and social support may help buffer the effects of providing care to patients with COVID-19 and could potentially decrease nurse vulnerability to developing psychological symptoms and impairment on the job.

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