How to distinguish OCD from affective disorders

  For psychiatrists, OCD may not seem like a problem to diagnose because of its typical symptoms. However, in practice, clinical problems of differential diagnosis arising from misdiagnosis are often encountered. Here is an example: A female, 15 years old, junior high school student, excellent in studies, class officer. Since one year, her temper is bigger, when she loses temper, she will smash the TV, washing machine and other items at home, or bang her mother’s head against the wall; she is big-handed and often gives money to her classmates; sometimes she skips classes, classmates, and exams, and she shows that she is unwilling to study, her grades drop, she often plays games, and she is unwilling to meet people. At one time, he was suspected of having bipolar disorder (presumably because he was thought to be “irritable”, “volatile”, and “depressed”). At the first interview, I noticed that her mother described that the girl took a shower every morning, which she did every day. I then asked the girl during the intake interview if she was otherwise overly concerned about hygiene, and the answer was that she used hand sanitizer three times in a row every time she washed her hands. Further question: Why do you give your classmates bills? Answer: They often cry out in front of me that they are hungry and I have money that I don’t take out thinking they will dislike me. Eventually, the perfectionist personality became clear.  No need to guess my diagnosis of OCD because she was self-aware and very cooperative with my psychotherapy and medication.  People with OCD are so perfectionist that they often hide their symptoms for fear of others knowing, mainly because of “face issues”. If the doctor has the right idea and asks clear questions, the patient will admit it, because she knows that the doctor can see her/his obsessive-compulsive symptoms and that this will lead to trust. This is why the psychiatrist’s attentiveness and sensitivity in the consultation is indispensable!