Frequency of religious themes in obsessive compulsive disorder

ABSTRACT

To assess the theme of religion on the symptomatology of obsessive compulsive disorder. This study was carried out at the Department of Psychiatry, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar from October 2005 to March 2006. Those who satisfied DSM-III R criteria for obsessive compulsive disorder were included in the study. Those suffering from neurological illnesses or any other psychiatric illness were excluded from the study. Fifty Muslim patients [36 Males and 14 females] fulfilled the DSM-III R criteria for obsessive compulsive disorder. The mean age of the group was 25.87 +/- 7.39 and for the 1[st] onset of obsessive compulsive disorder was 21.36 +/- 8.21 years. Themes of obsessions and compulsions were religious [60%], contamination [28%], and order/ safety [20%], in decreasing order of frequency. This study reflects the role of religion which gives content to various obsessions and compulsions which may be helpful in early diagnosis of obsessive compulsive disorder in our culture. Further more the impact of these findings in term of psychological method of treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy [CBT] could be significant in Islamic culture