The psychiatrist has been asked to see a patient who feels a need to continuously wash her hands,now raw from the continuous scrubbing.After consulting with the patient,the psychiatrist concluded that the patient has a disorder characterized by a tendency to perform repetitive actions or rituals called

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symptoms described - a need to continuously wash one's hands despite them being raw from constant scrubbing - are indicative of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a disorder characterized by recurring, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions) that individuals feel compelled to perform. The behavior described in the question - compulsive hand-washing - is a classic example of a compulsion associated with OCD. Bipolar disorder, autism, and anxiety disorder are all separate diagnostic categories with different symptoms and criteria.

The Psychiatrist Has Been Asked to See a Patient Who