scholarly journals What Is the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients with Pre-Existing Mood or Anxiety Disorder? An Observational Prospective Study

Medicina ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 304
Author(s):  
Antonio Tundo ◽  
Sophia Betro’ ◽  
Roberta Necci

Background and Objectives: This observational prospective study aims to examine the psychological and psychopathological impact of the pandemic stress on patients with pre-existing mood, anxiety and obsessive–compulsive disorders. Materials and Methods: The study includes 386 consecutive patients recruited from 10 March to 30 June 2020 among those being treated at the Institute of Psychopathology in Rome (Italy) with an age ≥18 years and meeting DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) (35.2%), bipolar I (BD-I) (21.5%) or II (BD-II) (28.8%) disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) (7.5%), panic disorder (PD) (7.0%) or social anxiety (SA). A total of 34.2% had lifetime comorbid Axis I disorders and 15.3% had alcohol/drug abuse disorders. Using a semi-structured interview, we investigated if the impact of COVID-19 stress for patients has been similar, higher or lower than that of their family and friends and, for patients with relapse/symptoms worsening, if there was a relationship between the clinical condition worsening and the pandemic stress. Results: Compared with that experienced by their family members and friends, the psychological impact of pandemic stress was similar in 52.1% of the sample, better in 37.1% and worse in 10.8%. In 21 patients (5.4%), the stress triggered a recurrence or worsened the symptoms. Patients with OCD had a higher rate of worsening due to pandemic stress compared to patients with MDD (p = 0.033), although, overall, the χ2 test was not significant among primary diagnoses (χ2 = 8.368; p = 0.057). Conclusions: The psychological and psychopathological consequences of COVID-19 stress in our outpatients were very modest. The continuity of care offered during the lockdown could explain the results.

2021 ◽  
pp. 105413732110239
Author(s):  
G. Brewer ◽  
L. Centifanti ◽  
J. Castro Caicedo ◽  
G. Huxley ◽  
C. Peddie ◽  
...  

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.


1995 ◽  
Vol 166 (4) ◽  
pp. 444-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian A. James ◽  
Ivy-Marie Blackburn

BackgroundPeople with obsessive–compulsive disorders (OCD) are widely treated with a combination of medication and behavioural techniques. The success rate is 50–85%, but both relapse and drop-out rates appear high. The use of cognitive therapy (CT) for the treatment of OCD has been suggested. The empirical evidence supporting the use of CT for OCD is examined.MethodA manual and computer (Medline) literature search was performed.ResultsFifteen empirical studies were found: ten non-controlled, and five controlled.ConclusionsThere are few controlled CT studies, and these show little evidence of improvement when CT is added to existing therapeutic techniques.


2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 444-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivia M. Gordon ◽  
Paul M. Salkovskis ◽  
Victoria Bream

Background: It is often suggested that, in general, co-morbid personality disorders are likely to interfere with CBT based treatment of Axis I disorders, given that personality disorders are regarded as dispositional and are therefore considered less amenable to change than axis I psychiatric disorders. Aims: The present study aimed to investigate the impact of co-occurring obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) on cognitive-behavioural treatment for OCD. Method: 92 individuals with a diagnosis of OCD participated in this study. Data were drawn from measures taken at initial assessment and following cognitive-behavioural treatment at a specialist treatment centre for anxiety disorders. Results: At assessment, participants with OCD and OCPD had greater overall OCD symptom severity, as well as doubting, ordering and hoarding symptoms relative to those without OCPD; however, participants with co-morbid OCD and OCPD demonstrated greater treatment gains in terms of OCD severity, checking and ordering than those without OCPD. Individuals with OCD and OCPD had higher levels of checking, ordering and overall OCD severity at initial assessment; however, at post-treatment they had similar scores to those without OCPD. Conclusion: The implications of these findings are discussed in the light of research on axis I and II co-morbidity and the impact of axis II disorders on treatment for axis I disorders.


2000 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helmut Peter ◽  
Susanne Tabrizian ◽  
Iver Hand

Objective: Patients with panic disorder are reported to have elevated cholesterol levels. There is also some evidence that cholesterol elevation is not so much a specific condition in panic disorder but is generally associated with anxiety. So far, there is little data on cholesterol levels in patients with obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD) which is also classified as anxiety disorder. Method: Thirty-three patients with OCD participated in the study. Serum cholesterol was measured as pretreatment and at the end of a ten-week treatment-period. All patients received behavior therapy and, in a double-blind fashion, fluvoxamine or placebo. Severity of OCD was assessed by the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). Results: Pretreatment cholesterol values of OCD patients were compared with cholesterol levels of thirty panic disorder patients and thirty normal controls. OCD patients had elevated cholesterol levels comparable with those of panic disorder patients. Cholesterol levels decreased significantly from pre- to posttreatment. OCD patients with high cholesterol levels (≥ 240 mg/dl, n = 7) could make best use of the treatment whereas patients with desirable cholesterol levels (< 200 mg/dl, n = 11) did not change their cholesterol during treatment. Conclusions: Our data support the assumption that not only panic disorder but also other anxiety disorders, e.g., obsessive compulsive disorders, may be associated with serum cholesterol elevations. Effective treatment (behavior therapy and/or treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor [SSRI]) seems to decrease cholesterol levels, especially in patients with pathological cholesterol elevations.


1995 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 386-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Arriaga ◽  
E Lara ◽  
A Matos-Pires ◽  
F Cavaglia ◽  
L Bastos

SummaryClinical assessments of sleep and subjective state upon waking were performed in normal controls and patients with generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, primary dysthymia and major depression. Subjects were selected according to DSM-III-R criteria. As compared to normal controls, patients with generalised anxiety, dysthymia and major depression exhibit pervasive and intense complaints of insomnia, and no clear distinctions can be drawn among these groups. Patients with panic disorder do not differ from normal controls, whereas obsessive compulsive patients present limited sleep symptoms. These findings suggest that subjective sleep variables are relevant for the diagnostic discrimination of panic and obsessive-compulsive disorders.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 282-307
Author(s):  
Derek Botha

This article proposes alternative understandings of certain structuralist informed (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - DSM-IIIrd to 5th Eds.) configurations of mental disorders. Life’s negative discourses and the mind’s captive responses present a “general theory of mental suffering” which phenomena are classified as modernist, DSM mental disorders, such as addictions, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Recent research has indicated that the psychedelic drug, psilocybin, has produced safe and effective outcomes for these mental suffering states. In this context, the article draws on the concept of brain plasticity order, firstly, to identify the means for a person to move away from subjection of life’s negative, dominant discourses that “capture” the brain, and then to intentionally move towards more acceptable, preferred, ethical subjectivities. These explanations, using the phenomenon of depression, provide the foundation for further proposals that an innovative form of narrative therapy could be a safe, effective and meaningful approach for persons in relationship with other similar ways of mental suffering, such as, anxiety, addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anorexia nervosa.


Author(s):  
Eric Burguière ◽  
Luc Mallet

Despite the range of conventional treatments available for obsessive–compulsive disorders, generally based on pharmacological and behavioural therapy, a significant number of patients receive no benefit from them. Clearly, further work is required to develop alternative therapeutic approaches to improve the treatment of the dysfunctional cognitive processes in obsessive–compulsive disorders and to better understand the neural networks involved. Some innovative tools have recently been developed in the fields of anatomical and functional imaging, neuromodulation, and animal models. These novel approaches offer opportunities to improve our understanding of the functional and pathophysiological basis of obsessive–compulsive disorders.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 55-98
Author(s):  
Ali Mahmud Shoeib ◽  
◽  
Ereny Samir Gobrial ◽  

The aims of this study were to identify the correlation between Depersonalization - Derealization Disorder (DPDR), anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorders and to propose a constructive model of anxiety, depression and obsessive- compulsive disorders related to Depersonalization Derealization Disorder of university students. The sample consisted of 344 students (325 female and 19 male), with a mean age of (24.4) years. The study applied the following scales: structured clinical interview for depersonalization-derealization spectrum, Cambridge Depersonalization Scale, Generalised anxiety scale (GAD-7), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Maudsley Obsessional–Compulsive Inventory. Results indicated that obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression played a major role in developing DPDR due to a significant positive effect of these disorders, while anxiety had a weak correlation. The study developed a constructive model of variables related to DPDR based on AMOS software. The results illustrated that the contribution of obsessive-compulsive and depression as independent variables in predicting PDRD was 61.8 and 44.9, respectively, while no effect of anxiety was recorded. The findings also developed a model for the causal relationships between anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive influence on DPDR disorder. The results of the causal model test indicated that the obsessive-compulsive variable is hypothesized to be a mediator in influencing the DPDR disorder as it is affected by both anxiety and depression.


CNS Spectrums ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Hollander ◽  
Stephanie D. Benzaquen

The obsessive-compulsive disorders spectrum concept has grown in recent years because of the common clinical features, such as obsessive thinking and compulsive rituals, biological markers, presumed etiology, and treatment response, that these disorders may share with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This concept has important implications in regard to diagnosis, nosology, neurobiology, and treatment of a wide group of diverse disorders affecting up to 10% of the population. New insights in central nervous system (CNS) mechanisms that drive the repetitive behaviors of the obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders have heightened interest in the spectrum in researchers, clinicians, and those involved in drug development.An important approach in neuropsychiatry centers on employing a dimensional classification of psychopathology. Psychiatric phenomena often fall on a continuum. A dimensional approach allows for the classification of patients who fall at the border of classical entities or who are otherwise atypical. Diagnostic categories are considered along a spectrum if there is considerable overlap in symptoms and in etiology, as demonstrated by familial linkage biological markers, and pharmacological dissection. Categorical and dimensional approaches to the OCD spectrum could have significant implications for diagnosis, nosology, neurobiology, and treatment of a wide group of disorders affecting a sizable percentage of the population.Recent interest has focused on spectrums in movement disorders, affective disorders, schizophrenia, epileptic and impulsive disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorders (which we will examine here); in addition, there has been interest in the overlap between these spectrums. Viewing disorders in terms of overlapping spectrums provides researchers and clinicians a framework with which to better understand and treat these disorders.


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