Personality disorder - obsessive-compulsive

Medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (for example, Prozac) may help reduce some of the anxiety and depression from this disorder.

However, talk therapy (psychotherapy) is thought to be the most effective treatment for this condition.

• Psychodynamic psychotherapy helps patients understand their thoughts and feelings.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can also help.

In some cases, medications combined with talk therapy may be more effective than either treatment alone.

The outlook for people with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder tends to be better than that for other personality disorders. The rigidness and control of OCPD may prevent many of the complications such as drug abuse, which are common in other personality disorders.

However, the social isolation and difficulty handling anger that are common with this illness may lead to feelings of depression and anxiety later in life.

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Difficulty moving forward in career situations
• Relationship difficulties

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if perfectionism is interfering with your job or relationships.

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Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Review Date: 11/23/2010
Reviewed By: Linda Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Michelle Benger Merrill, MD, Instructor in Clinical Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)