Do I Need An OCD Test? How Testing For OCD Can Lead To Improved Mental Health
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a complex mental illness that involves a cycle of obsessions (persistent intrusive thoughts or urges) and compulsions (the physical or mental acts meant to relieve or prevent them). Receiving a diagnosis of OCD from a licensed professional can be the first step in getting treatment and improving quality of life. Read on to understand the role an OCD test can play in the diagnostic process along with treatment options for those who receive an OCD diagnosis.
What is obsessive-compulsive disorder? Exploring key symptoms
Common obsessive symptoms include:
- Fear of contamination
- Intrusive thoughts about sex
- Fear of doing something “bad” or “wrong”
- Fear of causing harm to others
- Need for order, symmetry, or perfection
- Constant need for reassurance
Compulsive symptoms can include things like:
- Bathing, cleaning, or washing hands over and over
- Arranging things in extremely specific ways
- Saying “magic” words or prayers as you do tasks
- Repeatedly checking things, such as doors, light switches, or oven dials
- Number rituals (the need to do things a specific number of times)
Common types of the OCD test
OCD is what is known as a heterogeneous disorder, meaning that symptoms can manifest in a variety of different ways. They may also ebb and flow, sometimes feeling manageable and at other times feeling completely overwhelming.
Because of the variance in this illness, a person must receive an evaluation from a licensed mental health professional who can determine if their symptoms qualify as diagnosable OCD and offer treatment accordingly. The first-line diagnostic tool for most clinicians is comparing a person's symptoms to those listed in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) for OCD. However, there are also other tests that may be employed in this process.
Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5
The gold standard for OCD tests is a set of professional diagnostic tests that use structured clinical interviews conducted by a licensed mental health professional. The one that’s most commonly used is the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5), which assesses symptoms based on the criteria laid out in the latest version of the DSM.
Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale
The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale is a 10-question evaluation that measures the severity of OCD symptoms. The questions refer to experiences with obsessions and compulsions and ask for a rating of a client’s experience with each one on a scale of zero to four, alongside a checklist of current or past obsessive thoughts.
Specific OCD subtype tests
There are also a number of OCD screening tests that aim to determine the subtype of OCD so that the provider can tailor the treatment plan to a client’s specific experience. Some examples include:
- Contamination tests offer further insight into the OCD subtype that involves fear of germs or contamination. Included in this subcategory are the Vancouver Obsessional Compulsive Inventory (VOCI) and the Padua Inventory-Washington State University Revision (PI-WSUR), which consist of subscales that rate contamination-based symptoms.
- Moral OCD tests measure the symptoms of those who experience moral or religious obsessions (also called scrupulosity). An example of this type of subtest is The Penn Inventory of Scrupulosity (PIOS), which assesses the severity of these symptoms. The Religious OCD Test: Understanding and Identifying Moral Scrupulosity can also be effective for specifically religious-themed obsessions.
- The intrusive thoughts OCD test, also known as the Pure O OCD test, can identify the often-misunderstood category of OCD that includes obsessive thoughts without the presence of compulsive behaviors.
- Tourettic OCD tests explore the interplay between tic disorders and OCD. There are two tests in this category that may be used alongside other OCD tests: the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) and the Premonitory Urge for Tics Scale (PUTS).
How professionals use OCD tests
Mental health professionals may use an obsessive-compulsive disorder test not only to diagnose this mental health condition but to direct OCD treatment. For proper diagnosis and treatment of OCD, it’s generally important to identify which behaviors interfere with daily life (repetitive behaviors, tics, intrusive or unpleasant thoughts) and the severity with which they occur.
In addition, obsessive-compulsive disorder frequently manifests with comorbid conditions such as anxiety or depression. That’s why specificity is important for a diagnosis that differentiates between multiple conditions that may be present.
How effective is an OCD test?
The types of obsessive-compulsive disorder tests used by mental health providers are evidence-based evaluations commonly used in clinical practice. This means that they are based in a pragmatic framework and tested and retested by researchers for validity and consistency. As a result, they’re considered reliable when administered by a professional. That said, a clinician will typically take many factors into account when considering a diagnosis rather than only relying on one specific test.
Note that you can also take an online OCD test that is self-administered, such as the OCD Screener from the International OCD Foundation. Tests like these can be helpful in identifying certain symptoms, but they are not used for formal diagnosis. Remember that only a licensed healthcare provider can make a clinical diagnosis of any mental illness. If you take a self-test and it suggests that you may be showing signs of OCD, it’s recommended that you meet with a healthcare professional for further testing and evaluation.
Professional evaluations vs. self-assessment tests for obsessive-compulsive disorder
For a formal diagnosis of OCD, a professional evaluation is necessary. A professional diagnosis opens the door for treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and can lead to improved mental health outcomes. That said, self-assessments such as an OCD quiz online can be useful tools for helping an individual recognize their symptoms and realize they may need to seek professional support. With a professional diagnosis and treatment, a person may be able to reduce their symptoms and improve their daily functioning, mental health, and overall quality of life.
Diagnosis and treatment of OCD
When you meet with a provider for a potential diagnosis, they will ask you about your symptoms and take thorough medical and mental health histories. They may use different tests depending on the provider and how your symptoms manifest. When meeting with a healthcare professional, it’s usually helpful to be as honest as possible about the symptoms you’re experiencing so you can receive adequate treatment.
The most common treatment plan for obsessive-compulsive disorder includes a combination of talk therapy and prescription medication to help manage symptoms. For severe or unresponsive OCD, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) may also be used.
Types of mental health therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder
Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is when you work with a licensed mental health professional such as a psychologist or therapist. They’ll guide you through a specific treatment framework aimed at addressing your specific symptoms.
There are a number of evidence-based therapy approaches that can work for treatment of OCD, including the following. Note that positive lifestyle changes such as getting regular exercise and practicing mindfulness are often also recommended alongside professional treatment.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy was designed to help clients identify distorted thoughts and replace them with more positive thoughts, which may lead to less emotional distress and fewer compulsive behaviors. Another component of CBT is developing healthier coping mechanisms for negative thoughts.
Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy
Exposure and response prevention therapy is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that involves supervised, gradual exposure to feared thoughts or images and guidance in the practice of resisting a compulsion in response. This method can help build resilience and allow the individual to learn more practically that their anxious thoughts are unrealistic.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
Acceptance and commitment therapy teaches the client to accept their obsessive thoughts as simply thoughts in order to take away their power. It’s built on the concept of cultivating psychological flexibility and mindfulness and living by one’s values.
Online therapy for OCD
For some people experiencing obsessive-compulsive disorder, attending in-person therapy sessions can be difficult because of their symptoms. Others may find it challenging to fit therapy into their schedule. In either case, online therapy can often be a convenient and effective alternative.
Online platforms like BetterHelp allow you to get matched with a licensed therapist according to your needs and preferences as communicated in a simple online questionnaire. You can then meet with your therapist remotely via video chat, text, or phone from the comfort of your own home or anywhere you have wi-fi. If you don’t feel like your therapist is the right match, you can switch providers at any time, for any reason, at no additional cost, since a strong therapeutic alliance is usually essential in order to effectively treat OCD and other conditions.
Is online mental health therapy effective for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder?
In many cases, online therapy can be just as effective as in-person therapy for treating symptoms of a mental illness, including OCD. For example, consider a 2022 study on video therapy for OCD, which suggests that participants experienced statistically significant improvements in symptoms after three weeks of virtual treatment and six weeks of regular follow-ups. Improvements were maintained at three-, six-, nine-, and twelve-month follow-ups.
Takeaway
How long does an OCD episode last?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder tends to cause obsessive thought patterns and compulsive behaviors that can repeat throughout the day. These behaviors may not be in an episodic format, as many people with OCD have random urges related to the particular way they perform compulsions and the common obsessions they experience. Compulsions and rituals can last anywhere from a few seconds to a significant amount of time, depending on the person and their unique brain function.
What are the four Rs of OCD?
The four Rs of OCD are relabel, reattribute, refocus, and revalue, which are coping skills used to help children, young adults, and older people work through intrusive thoughts and receive appropriate treatment. OCD involves many thoughts that can be distressing for an individual. With these skills, they can relabel the thought, reattribute meaning, refocus on their present moment, and revalue themselves.
What is the most complex form of OCD to treat?
All forms of OCD diagnosed by a mental health provider can be difficult to treat. Unlike some anxiety disorders, OCD is based more on control than on fear. When people fear they are losing control of themselves, they may perform compulsions that they believe will allow them to regain control. Types of OCD, like hoarding OCD and OCD with tic-related disorders, may be more challenging to treat, as these types tend to be severe.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), OCD is manageable with treatment options like therapy and medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Catching warning signs of the condition early, especially in young family members, may reduce the chance of the condition worsening over time. If you have a family history of OCD and have children, you may get them screened for an accurate diagnosis, as children often get OCD from a parent.
Is OCD a form of anxiety?
OCD used to be considered an anxiety disorder in all diagnostic manuals for medical conditions and mental illnesses. However, it has since been included in its own category: obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, which also holds conditions like pica and tic disorders. OCD can cause anxiety but is ruled more by a pattern of control and loss of control rather than anxiety and response.
What is the 15-minute rule for OCD?
The 15-minute rule for OCD is to avoid a compulsion for at least 15 minutes to see what happens in your body. Observe your anxiety levels and what urges arise. What thoughts do you have about the avoidance? Are you worried about any outcomes? After 15 minutes, do you still want to do the compulsion? This exercise may be best performed with a therapist. Some therapists offer exercises like this one as part of exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), which exposes clients to their fears and helps them practice avoiding compulsions.
Who is the most famous person with OCD?
Some of the most famous people who have spoken up about their diagnosis of OCD include Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Radcliff, Katy Perry, and Megan Fox. Other famous people throughout history may also have had OCD, but diagnosing mental illness was often stigmatized in the past, especially for public figures.
Is OCD a type of autism?
OCD is not a type of autism. However, people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have co-occurring OCD, which is a separate disorder. Because autism can cause repetitive and fixated behaviors similar to compulsions, providers will look at the cause behind the behaviors when determining whether someone has OCD, autism, or both conditions.
Does OCD ever go away?
OCD is not considered curable. However, some people may go into remission from symptoms, allowing them to live a reasonably productive life without many symptoms. In addition, some people may learn to control their compulsions, even if intrusive and obsessive thoughts continue. In these cases, their battle with OCD may be primarily mental, which can be worked on through therapy. Medication may also reduce the severity of someone’s symptoms, as well as the frequency of challenges.
What causes OCD?
Most experts consider OCD to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. People with a mother with OCD may be more likely to develop the disorder in childhood. In addition, a family history of OCD may lead to the condition.
How do you calm down OCD?
One of the best ways to reduce intrusive thoughts is to let them in. OCD is often about controlling thoughts and ensuring one’s safety through compulsive actions. Exposure therapy has shown that confronting these thoughts and feelings is often more effective than avoiding them with compulsions. Although anxiety may initially rise during this exercise, one may eventually become better at tolerating the level of fear that not performing a compulsion can create. A therapist can help you in this process.
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