sodium-ethylxanthate and Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorder

A brief historical introduction traces the evolution of the concept of hypochondriasis. It is suggested that the term should now be used only as a descriptive adjective when there is a morbid preoccupation with health or body. Social and cultural factors are outlined, as well as problems of measurement. The psychopathology, as formulated by Freud and others, is also described. Clinical aspects are discussed under the headings of general symptoms, pain, smell, bodily appearance, sexual, gastro-intestinal, cardio-respiratory, eyes, and ears, nose and throat. Psychiatric syndromes mentioned are: hypochondria as a possible primary state, personality disorders, phobic-anxiety state, neurashthenia, obsessional neurosis, hysteria, depression, paranoid psychosis and organic. In general, hypochondriacal symptoms seem to make the prognosis rather worse. Treatment is to be aimed at the primary condition, which is most commonly depression, anxiety state or conversion reaction.

Topics: Anxiety; Body Image; Delusions; Depression; Fatigue; Humans; Hypochondriasis; Hysteria; MMPI; Neurasthenia; Neurocognitive Disorders; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Pain; Paranoid Disorders; Personality Disorders; Phobic Disorders; Prognosis; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Schizophrenia; Sex

The treatment and clinical features of eight adolescents with obsessive compulsive disorder severe enough to warrant hospitalization are described. Attempts to use behaviour therapy failed, due to lack of co-operation from the patients. Nevertheless, response to non-specific psychotherapy and milieu therapy was surprisingly good. These observations are somewhat different from those reported in previous literature. The reasons for this difference are discussed.

Topics: Adolescent; Aggression; Behavior Therapy; Child; Clomipramine; Combined Modality Therapy; Fantasy; Female; Humans; Male; Milieu Therapy; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Parents; Psychotherapy; Sex

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anxiety, Separation; Aphorisms and Proverbs as Topic; Defense Mechanisms; Female; Generalization, Psychological; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Sex

For a rather long period of time the authors have seen and followed up the evolution of a very characteristic syndrome. It is not frequent and it appears only in puberty, in boys as well as in girls, and it has been called "acute obsessive crisis". It appears suddenly in the form of a very intense anguish with the constant repetition of questions about the possibility of being in mortal sin and with the evidence of poorness of thought. The acute period lasts about 72 hours and then remission begins spontaneously and in one week it is all over. The evolution of this syndrome showed that it is not repeated later and that it does not leave any defect. It is essential to make the differential diagnosis with schizophrenia. The author's hypothesis is that acute obsessive crisis is the extreme manifestation of the painful mental experiences associated to corporal changes so frequent during puberty.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Catholicism; Child; Female; Guilt; Humans; Male; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Puberty; Sex; Syndrome; Thinking

Eighty-two obsessional neurotics were studied from a phenomenological point of view in order to delineate the various forms and contents of obsessions and compulsions. An attempt was made to ascertain the frequency with which the different forms and content occur and their effect on the final outcome of the disorder. Five types of obsessions were identified: doubts, obsessive thinking, fears, impulses, and images, in order of frequency of their occurrence. Compulsive acts could be classified in two types, depending on whether they yielded to or diverted the underlying obsession. One-fourth of the patients displayed no compulsions. The content of obsession could be classified in five broad categories as relating to: dirt and contamination, aggression, inanimate-impersonal themes, religion, and sexual matters, in order of the frequency of their occurrence. The paper, while offering an interpretation of these findings, emphasizes the part played by socio-cultural factors in the character of an obsession's thought content. The absence of compulsions was found to be associated with good prognosis. A downward gradient was noted in the final outcome of patients without compulsions, those with controlling compulsions alone, those with both varieties of compulsions, and those displaying yielding compulsions alone, in that order. Based on this observation the paper suggests a prognosis-related hierarchical continuum of the severity of obsessional disorder.

Topics: Adult; Aggression; Cognition Disorders; Fear; Female; Humans; Hygiene; Impulsive Behavior; Male; Middle Aged; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Prognosis; Religion; Sex

Topics: Age Factors; Aggression; Child, Preschool; Conflict, Psychological; Developmental Disabilities; Ego; Humans; Id; Infant; Libido; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Psychoanalytic Theory; Psychoanalytic Therapy; Sex; Social Behavior

Topics: Adjustment Disorders; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Attitude to Health; Conflict, Psychological; Family Characteristics; Fear; Female; Humans; Male; Mental Disorders; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Paranoid Disorders; Personality; Phobic Disorders; Propaganda; Sex; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Stress, Psychological

Topics: Adolescent; Anxiety; Child; Child Behavior Disorders; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Hysteria; Male; Neurotic Disorders; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Phobic Disorders; Prognosis; Schizophrenia; Sex

Topics: Adolescent; Child; Defense Mechanisms; Depression; Depressive Disorder; Diagnosis; Humans; Hypochondriasis; Neurotic Disorders; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Parent-Child Relations; Psychopathology; Psychotherapy; Sex; Trichotillomania

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aging; Attitude; Child; Depersonalization; Depression; Dysautonomia, Familial; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neurasthenia; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Personality; Phobic Disorders; Sex

Topics: Bipolar Disorder; Delusions; Depersonalization; Depression; Depressive Disorder, Major; Euphoria; Humans; Morals; Neurotic Disorders; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Personality; Personality Disorders; Psychotic Disorders; Sex; Suicide

Topics: Aggression; Character; Compulsive Behavior; Humans; Neurotic Disorders; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Psychoanalysis; Psychotherapy; Sex

Topics: Depression; Education; Hospitalization; Hospitals, Psychiatric; Humans; Intelligence; Medical Staff, Hospital; Mental Disorders; MMPI; Neurotic Disorders; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Paranoid Disorders; Personality; Personality Disorders; Physician-Patient Relations; Schizophrenia; Sex

Topics: Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Attitude; Conversion Disorder; Humans; Hysteria; Neurotic Disorders; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Personality; Personality Disorders; Sex; Sociology