Experiences of Mental Distress during COVID-19: Thematic Analysis of Discussion Forum Posts for Anxiety, Depression, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on coronavirus patients, health care workers, and the general population is clear. Relatively few studies have, however, considered the impact of the pandemic on those with pre-existing mental health conditions. Therefore, the present study investigates the personal experiences of those with anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder during COVID-19. We conducted a qualitative study utilising Reddit discussion forum posts. We conducted three separate thematic analyses from 130 posts in subreddit forums aimed for people identifying with anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. We identified a number of similar discussion forum themes (e.g., COVID-19 intensifying symptoms and a lack of social support), as well as themes that were unique to each forum type (e.g., hyperawareness and positive experiences during the pandemic). Findings should guide future practice and the support provided to those living with mental distress.

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Reducing the Social Stigma Associated with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: A Controlled Trial of an Intervention Program in a Turkish Community Sample

Journal of Evidence-Based Psychotherapies ◽

10.24193/jebp.2020.2.14 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 101-120

Author(s):

Ayça Aktaç Gürbüz ◽

Orçun YORULMAZ ◽

Gülşah DURNA

Keyword(s):

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

Intervention Program ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Community Sample ◽

Case Vignette ◽

Control Group ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Impact

Scientific research into the reduction of stigmatization, particularly related to specific problems such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), is scarce. In the present study, we examine the impact of a video-based antistigma intervention program for OCD in a pretest-posttest control group research. After being randomly assigned to either an intervention (n= 101) or control group (n= 96), the participants reported their attitudes on a hypothetical case vignette before and after OCD vs. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) videos, and again six months later as a follow up assessment. The mixed design analyses for the group comparisons indicated that although there was no significant difference in the measures of the control group, the participants watching the anti-stigma OCD video, in which the focus was psychoeducation and interaction strategies, reported significantly lower scores on social distances and negative beliefs for the case vignettes they read, and this difference was maintained six months later. Then, the present results indicate the effectiveness of our anti-stigma intervention program for OCD. Interventions to reduce stigmatization can also be viewed as effective tools for changing the attitudes of people toward OCD, although further research and applications are needed related to specific disorders if a longlasting impact is to be achieved.

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Pupil with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Lifelong Learning ◽

10.11118/lifele201707027 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 7-25

Author(s):

Karolina Diallo

Keyword(s):

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

School Performance ◽

School Environment ◽

Detrimental Effect ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

The Past ◽

And Performance ◽

The Impact

Pupil with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Over the past twenty years childhood OCD has received more attention than any other anxiety disorder that occurs in the childhood. The increasing interest and research in this area have led to increasing number of diagnoses of OCD in children and adolescents, which affects both specialists and teachers. Depending on the severity of symptoms OCD has a detrimental effect upon child's school performance, which can lead almost to the impossibility to concentrate on school and associated duties. This article is devoted to the obsessive-compulsive disorder and its specifics in children, focusing on the impact of this disorder on behaviour, experience and performance of the child in the school environment. It mentions how important is the role of the teacher in whose class the pupil with this diagnosis is and it points out that it is necessary to increase teachers' competence to identify children with OCD symptoms, to take the disease into the account, to adapt the course of teaching and to introduce such measures that could help children reduce the anxiety and maintain (or increase) the school performance within and in accordance with the school regulations and curriculum.

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A Systematic Review on TeleMental Health in Youth Mental Health: Focus on Anxiety, Depression and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Medicina ◽

10.3390/medicina57080793 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 57 (8) ◽

pp. 793

Author(s):

Laura Orsolini ◽

Simone Pompili ◽

Virginio Salvi ◽

Umberto Volpe

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

Selection Process ◽

Telemental Health ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Youth Anxiety ◽

Anxiety Depression

Background and Objectives: The Internet is widely used and disseminated amongst youngsters and many web-based applications may serve to improve mental health care access, particularly in remote and distant sites or in settings where there is a shortage of mental health practitioners. However, in recent years, specific digital psychiatry interventions have been developed and implemented for special populations such as children and adolescents. Materials and Methods: Hereby, we describe the current state-of-the-art in the field of TMH application for young mental health, focusing on recent studies concerning anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and affective disorders. Results: After screening and selection process, a total of 56 studies focusing on TMH applied to youth depression (n = 29), to only youth anxiety (n = 12) or mixed youth anxiety/depression (n = 7) and youth OCD (n = 8) were selected and retrieved. Conclusions: Telemental Health (TMH; i.e., the use of telecommunications and information technology to provide access to mental health assessment, diagnosis, intervention, consultation, supervision across distance) may offer an effective and efficacious tool to overcome many of the barriers encountering in the delivery of young mental health care.

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Obsessive—Compulsive Disorder as a 5-HT Subsystem-Related Behavioural Disorder

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/s0007125000291721 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 155 (S8) ◽

pp. 15-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 75

Author(s):

D. L. Murphy ◽

J. Zohar ◽

C. Benkelfat ◽

M. T. Pato ◽

T. A. Pigott ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

Serotonin Uptake ◽

Selective Serotonin ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Neurotransmitter System ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Uptake Inhibitors ◽

Anxiety Depression ◽

Abnormal Brain

Involvement of the brain serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmitter system in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was originally suggested on the basis of therapeutic effects found with the semi-selective serotonin uptake inhibitor, clomipramine. More recent studies directly comparing clomipramine with non-selective or norepinephrine-selective uptake inhibitors, such as desipramine or nortriptyline, as well as studies with new, more selective serotonin uptake inhibitors, including fluvoxamine and fluoxetine, have supported that hypothesis. Clomipramine's antiobsessional effect has been augmented with the serotonin precursor, L-tryptophan, or with lithium, which has prominent serotonergic effects. Patients whose OCD symptoms improved on clomipramine worsened when the drug was discontinued (regardless of duration of therapy) and improved when clomipramine was reinstituted. OCD symptoms also worsened when metergoline, a 5-HT antagonist, was given to patients who had improved with clomipramine. Metergoline given alone had no effect. Administration of m-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP), a 5-HT receptor agonist, to untreated OCD patients increased their anxiety, depression, and dysphoria, and exacerbated their OC symptoms. After 4 months of clomipramine therapy, m-CPP failed to produce the same behavioural effects, suggesting an alteration of a 5-HT subsystem (possibly downregulation of some 5-HT receptors). The data reviewed suggest an important role for an abnormal brain 5-HT subsystem in patients with OCD.

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How New Technologies Can Improve Prediction, Assessment, and Intervention in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (e-OCD): Review

JMIR Mental Health ◽

10.2196/11643 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (12) ◽

pp. e11643 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Florian Ferreri ◽

Alexis Bourla ◽

Charles-Siegfried Peretti ◽

Tomoyuki Segawa ◽

Nemat Jaafari ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Machine Learning ◽

Virtual Reality ◽

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

New Technologies ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Clinical Practices ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Pubmed Database ◽

The Impact

Background New technologies are set to profoundly change the way we understand and manage psychiatric disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Developments in imaging and biomarkers, along with medical informatics, may well allow for better assessments and interventions in the future. Recent advances in the concept of digital phenotype, which involves using computerized measurement tools to capture the characteristics of a given psychiatric disorder, is one paradigmatic example. Objective The impact of new technologies on health professionals’ practice in OCD care remains to be determined. Recent developments could disrupt not just their clinical practices, but also their beliefs, ethics, and representations, even going so far as to question their professional culture. This study aimed to conduct an extensive review of new technologies in OCD. Methods We conducted the review by looking for titles in the PubMed database up to December 2017 that contained the following terms: [Obsessive] AND [Smartphone] OR [phone] OR [Internet] OR [Device] OR [Wearable] OR [Mobile] OR [Machine learning] OR [Artificial] OR [Biofeedback] OR [Neurofeedback] OR [Momentary] OR [Computerized] OR [Heart rate variability] OR [actigraphy] OR [actimetry] OR [digital] OR [virtual reality] OR [Tele] OR [video]. Results We analyzed 364 articles, of which 62 were included. Our review was divided into 3 parts: prediction, assessment (including diagnosis, screening, and monitoring), and intervention. Conclusions The review showed that the place of connected objects, machine learning, and remote monitoring has yet to be defined in OCD. Smartphone assessment apps and the Web Screening Questionnaire demonstrated good sensitivity and adequate specificity for detecting OCD symptoms when compared with a full-length structured clinical interview. The ecological momentary assessment procedure may also represent a worthy addition to the current suite of assessment tools. In the field of intervention, CBT supported by smartphone, internet, or computer may not be more effective than that delivered by a qualified practitioner, but it is easy to use, well accepted by patients, reproducible, and cost-effective. Finally, new technologies are enabling the development of new therapies, including biofeedback and virtual reality, which focus on the learning of coping skills. For them to be used, these tools must be properly explained and tailored to individual physician and patient profiles.

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The impact of neuropsychological functioning on treatment outcome in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder

Depression and Anxiety ◽

10.1002/da.20626 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 365-371 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Christopher A. Flessner ◽

Amy Allgair ◽

Abbe Garcia ◽

Jennifer Freeman ◽

Jeffrey Sapyta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Treatment Outcome ◽

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

Neuropsychological Functioning ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

The Impact

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The Association of Trait Mindfulness and Self-compassion with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Symptoms: Results from a Large Survey with Treatment-Seeking Adults

Cognitive Therapy and Research ◽

10.1007/s10608-019-10049-4 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 44 (1) ◽

pp. 120-135 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tamara Leeuwerik ◽

Kate Cavanagh ◽

Clara Strauss

Keyword(s):

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

Distress Tolerance ◽

Treatment Seeking ◽

Trait Mindfulness ◽

Obsessive Beliefs ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Self Compassion ◽

Clinically Significant ◽

Anxiety Depression

Abstract Little is known about the role of mindfulness and self-compassion in obsessive-compulsive disorder. This cross-sectional study examined associations of mindfulness and self-compassion with obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms and with the obsessive beliefs and low distress tolerance thought to maintain them. Samples of treatment-seeking adults (N = 1871) and non-treatment-seeking adults (N = 540) completed mindfulness, self-compassion, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression, obsessive beliefs and distress tolerance questionnaires. Participants with clinically significant obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms reported lower trait mindfulness and self-compassion compared to participants with clinically significant anxiety/depression and to non-clinical controls. Among the clinical sample, there were medium-large associations between mindfulness and self-compassion and obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms, obsessive beliefs and distress tolerance. Mindfulness and self-compassion were unique predictors of obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms, controlling for depression severity. Once effects of obsessive beliefs and distress tolerance were controlled, a small effect remained for mindfulness (facets) on obsessing symptoms and for self-compassion on washing and checking symptoms. Directions for future research and clinical implications are considered in conclusion.

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Recognising and addressing the impact of COVID-19 on obsessive-compulsive disorder

The Lancet Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s2215-0366(20)30222-4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (7) ◽

pp. 570-572 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Roz Shafran ◽

Anna Coughtrey ◽

Maureen Whittal

Keyword(s):

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

The Impact

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Comparative effectiveness of neuroablation and deep brain stimulation for treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder: a meta-analytic study

Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry ◽

10.1136/jnnp-2018-319318 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 90 (4) ◽

pp. 469-473 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Kevin K Kumar ◽

Geoffrey Appelboom ◽

Layton Lamsam ◽

Arthur L Caplan ◽

Nolan R Williams ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Deep Brain Stimulation ◽

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

Brain Stimulation ◽

Comparative Effectiveness ◽

English Language ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Treatment Refractory ◽

The Impact ◽

Deep Brain

BackgroundThe safety and efficacy of neuroablation (ABL) and deep brain stimulation (DBS) for treatment refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has not been examined. This study sought to generate a definitive comparative effectiveness model of these therapies.MethodsA EMBASE/PubMed search of English-language, peer-reviewed articles reporting ABL and DBS for OCD was performed in January 2018. Change in quality of life (QOL) was quantified based on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and the impact of complications on QOL was assessed. Mean response of Y-BOCS was determined using random-effects, inverse-variance weighted meta-analysis of observational data.FindingsAcross 56 studies, totalling 681 cases (367 ABL; 314 DBS), ABL exhibited greater overall utility than DBS. Pooled ability to reduce Y-BOCS scores was 50.4% (±22.7%) for ABL and was 40.9% (±13.7%) for DBS. Meta-regression revealed no significant change in per cent improvement in Y-BOCS scores over the length of follow-up for either ABL or DBS. Adverse events occurred in 43.6% (±4.2%) of ABL cases and 64.6% (±4.1%) of DBS cases (p<0.001). Complications reduced ABL utility by 72.6% (±4.0%) and DBS utility by 71.7% (±4.3%). ABL utility (0.189±0.03) was superior to DBS (0.167±0.04) (p<0.001).InterpretationOverall, ABL utility was greater than DBS, with ABL showing a greater per cent improvement in Y-BOCS than DBS. These findings help guide success thresholds in future clinical trials for treatment refractory OCD.

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