OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER

What is OCD?
How common is OCD?
Key Features of OCD
What causes OCD?
Do I have OCD? (screening test)
Treatment of OCD; Progress Through Research
How to Get Help for OCD
What the Family Can Doto Help
Continuing Research
If You Have Special Needs
For Further Information
References

For Further Information

For further information on OCD, its treatment, and how to get help, you may wish to contact the following organizations:

Anxiety Disorders Association of America
11900 Parklawn Drive, Suite 100
Rockville, MD 20852
Telephone: 301-231-9350
http://adaa.org

Makes referrals to professional members and to support groups. Has a catalog of available brochures, books, and audiovisuals.

Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy
305 Seventh Ave.
New York, NY 10001
Telephone 212-647-1890
http://server.psyc.vt.edu/aabt/

Membership listing of mental health professionals focusing on behavior therapy.

Madison Institute of Medicine
Obsessive Compulsive Information Center
7617 Mineral Point Road, Suite 300
Madison, WI 53717-1914
Telephone: 608-827-2479
http://healthtechsys.com/mimocic.html

Computer data base of over 13,000 references updated daily. Computer searches done for nominal fee. No charge for quick reference questions. Maintains physician referral and support group lists.

Freedom From Fear
308 Seaview Ave.
Staten Island, NY 10305
Telephone: 718-351-1717
http://www.freedomfromfear.com

Offers a free newsletter on anxiety disorders and a referral list of treatment specialists.

Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation
P.O. Box 70
Milford, CT 06460-0070
Telephone: 203-878-5669
Fax: 203-874-2826
InfoLine: 203-874-3843
http://ocfoundation.org

Offers free or at minimal cost brochures for individuals with the disorder and their families. In addition, videotapes and books are available. A bimonthly newsletter goes to members who pay an annual membership fee of $45.00. Has over 250 support groups nationwide. Can refer to mental health professionals and treatment facilities in your area with experience in treating OCD by mail.

Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc.
42-40 Bell Boulevard
New York, NY 11361-2874
Telephone: 800-237-0717
http://ba.mgh.harvard.edu

Publications, videotapes, and films available at minimal cost. Newsletter goes to members who pay an annual fee of $45.00.

Trichotillomania Learning Center
1215 Mission Street, Suite 2
Santa Cruz, CA 95060-3558
Telephone: 831-457-1004
E-mail: trichster@aol.com
http://trich.org

Membership fee of $35.00 includes information packet and bimonthly newsletter.

For information on other mental disorders, contact:

Information Resources and Inquiries Branch
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Rm. 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
Telephone: 301-443-4513
e-mail: nimhinfo@nih.gov  

Books Suggested for Further Reading

Baer L. Getting Control. Overcoming Your Obsessions and Compulsions. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1991.

DeSilva P and Rachman S. Obsessive-compulsive Disorder: that Facts. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992.

Foa EB and Wilson R. Stop Obsessing! How to Overcome Your Obsessions and Compulsions. New York: Bantam Books, 1991.

Foster CH. Polly's Magic Games: A Child's View of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Ellsworth, ME: Dilligaf Publishing, 1994.

Greist JH. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: A Guide. Madison, WI: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Information Center. rev. ed., 1992. (Thorough discussion of pharmacotherapy and behavior therapy)

Jenike MA. Drug Treatment of OCD in Adults. Milford, CT: OC Foundation, 1996. (Answers frequently asked questions about OCD and drug treatments)

Johnston HF. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in Children and Adolescents: A Guide. Madison, WI: Child Psychopharmacology Information Center, 1993.

Matisik EN. The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Reasonable Accommodation for Employees with OCD. Milford, CT: OC Foundation, 1996.

Neziroglu F. and Yaryura-Tobias JA. Over and Over Again: Understanding Obsessive-compulsive Disorder. Lexington, MA: DC Health, 1991.

Rapoport JL. The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Washing: The Experience and Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1989.

Steketee GS and White K. When Once Is Not Enough: Help for Obsessive Compulsives. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger, 1990.

VanNoppen BL, Pato MT, and Rasmussen S. Learning to Live with OCD. Milford, CT: OC Foundation, 1993.

Videotape

The Touching Tree. Jim Callner, writer/director, Awareness films. Distributed by the O.C. Foundation, Inc., Milford, CT. (about a child with OCD)

References

DuPont RL, Rice DP, Shiraki S, and Rowland C. Economic costs of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Unpublished, 1994.

Foa EB and KoZak MJ. Obsessive-compulsive disorder: long-term outcome of psychological treatment. In Mavissakalian & Prien (Eds.), Long-term Treatments of Anxiety Disorders. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, 1996, 285-309.

Hiss H, Foa EB, and Kozak MJ. Relapse prevention program for treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 62:4:801-808, 1994.

Jenike MA. Obsessive-compulsive Disorder: efficacy of specific treatments as assessed by controlled trials. Psychopharmacology Bulletin 29:4:487-499, 1993.

Jenike MA. Managing the patient with treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder: current strategies. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 55:3 (suppl):11-17, 1994.

Jenike MA et al. Cerebral structural abnormalities in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry 53:7:625-632, 1996.

Leonard HL, Swedo SE, Lenane MC, Rettew DC, Hamburger SD, Bartko JJ, and Rapoport JL. A 2- to 7-Year follow-up study of 54 obsessive-compulsive children and adolescents. Archives of General Psychiatry 50:429-439, 1993.

March JS, Mulle K, and Herbel B. Behavioral psychotherapy for children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder: an open trial of a new protocol-driven treatment package. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 33:3:333-341, 1994.

Pato MT, Zohar-Kadouch R, Zohar J, and Murphy DL. Return of symptoms after discontinuation of clomipramine in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry 145:1521-1525, 1988.

Swedo SE and Leonard HL. Childhood movement disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 55:3 (suppl):32-37.

Swedo SE and Leonard HL. Excessively compulsive or obsessive-compulsive disorder? It's Not All in Your Head. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1996.

 

The National Institute of Mental Health is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Federal Government's primary agency for biomedical and behavioral research. NIH is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Acknowledgments

This brochure is the second revision by Margaret Strock, staff member in the Information Resources and Inquiries Branch, Office of Scientific Information (OSI), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) of a publication originally written by Mary Lynn Hendrix, OSI. Expert assistance was provided by Jack Maser, PhD, Dennis Murphy, MD, Matthew Rudorfer, MD, and Lynn J. Cave, NIMH staff members; Wayne K. Goodman, MD, University of Florida College of Medicine; Michael A. Jenike, M.D., Massachusetts General Hospital; Edna B. Foa, PhD, and Michael J. Kozak, PhD, Medical College of Pennsylvania; Gail S. Steketee, PhD, Boston University; and James Broatch, MSW, Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation.

Material appearing in this brochure is in the public domain except where noted and may be reproduced or copied without permission from the Institute. Citation of the source is appreciated. Portions that are copyrighted may be reproduced only upon permission of the copyright holder.

US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Mental Health

NIH Publication No. 99-3755
Printed 1991, Revised 1994, Revised September 1996, Reprinted 1999

For information about NIMH and its programs, please email, write or phone:

NIMH Public Inquiries
6001 Executive Boulevard, Rm. 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663 U.S.A.
Voice (301) 443-4513; Fax (301) 443-4279

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