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Impacts of Stressful Life Events and Traumatic Experiences on Onset of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Authors :
Keitaro Murayama
Tomohiro Nakao
Aikana Ohno
Sae Tsuruta
Hirofumi Tomiyama
Suguru Hasuzawa
Taro Mizobe
Kenta Kato
Shigenobu Kanba
Source :
Frontiers in Psychiatry, Vol 11 (2020)
Publication Year :
2020
Publisher :
Frontiers Media S.A., 2020.

Abstract

Not a few patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have experienced events that affected the onset. The onset of OCD is not limited to the original meaning of trauma; rather, traumatic experiences such as unexpected exposure to contaminants or various stressful life events often cause the onset of OCD. It would be useful to understand the experiences surrounding the onset, including stressful life events and traumatic experiences, for comprehension of the pathophysiology of OCD. In the present study, we investigated the onset conditions of 281 patients with OCD and compared clinical characteristics among groups with or without stressful life events including traumatic experiences. As a result, 172 (61.2%) participants had experienced various stressful life events, and 98 (34%) participants had had traumatic experiences before the onset. Furthermore, the participants who had had stressful life events showed more contamination/fear symptoms compared with those without such life events. Meanwhile, the patients who had had specific traumatic experiences showed a tendency toward hoarding obsessions. To comprehend the pathophysiology of OCD, it is important to understand the stressful life events that precede its onset.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
16640640
Volume :
11
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Frontiers in Psychiatry
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.98280b62eddc43a8be45e617c3038df8
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.561266