Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

From ArticleWorld

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder or OCPD describes a personality disorder where the person is a perfectionist who is inflexible and rigid in outlook and behaviour. Rules must be followed to the letter as must procedures and everything must be kept in its place at all times. However, just because someone has these personality traits does not mean they suffer from OCPD – in order to be diagnosed as such, the behaviour or thinking patterns must be so rigid that they interfere with daily functioning.

The personality disorder should not be confused with obsessive-compulsive disorder, which describes a condition where the individual feels the need to repeat an action over and over such as washing their hands or going back constantly to check that they have switched off the oven. Those with OCPD do not have this particular compulsion.

Symptoms

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the pattern of behaviour must be a pervasive one and include the need to control not only oneself but also others; a pattern which begins in early adulthood. By the time the individual who suffers from this disorder has finished with the rules, details or schedules of a particular action, the whole point of doing it has been lost. Sometimes their standards may be so severe that completing a task is impossible as they cannot possibly meet them. Leisure and friendships are often sacrificed to work and they can be pedantic about moral or ethical issues.

Sufferers of the disorder are also known to hoard often useless objects of no sentimental value as well as money. They find it very difficult to delegate for fear the job will not be done to their specifications.

Treatment

Medication and psychotherapy are used in treating the condition. Psychotherapy and behaviour therapy are both considered effective and the approved drugs include monoamine oxidase inhibitors which increase the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors which increase the level of serotonin in the brain. In extreme cases, electroconvulsive therapy and neurosurgery may be deemed the best treatments.