Phenomenology of religious obsessive – compulsive disorder

Abstract

IntroductionThe occurrence of religious symptoms in obsessive compulsive disorder OCD patients ranges from 0% up to 93%. Although, frequent and influential nature of these symptoms, the explanations of its complexity and phenomenology are deficient in the literature.ObjectivesDetermine the most frequent OC religious symptoms among OCD patients. Assess relation between the frequent symptoms of religious OCD and depression.MethodsCross-sectional study was conducted among 115 consented patients diagnosed as OCD according to DSM-IV. Patients were recruited in one year from Psychiatric clinics, Zagazig University, Egypt. Psychiatric interview and psychometric assessment using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and OC religious symptom scale [1] were done.ResultsThe majority of patients (57.4%) had various religious OC symptoms. About 44% had doubts in religion in general (e.g. existence of God) and 11.3% had Blasphemous ideas. More than one third reported doubts about performing prayers and ablution perfectly; 34.8% repeatedly claimed they forgot to declare intention to pray, 36.5% had doubts about violating their ablution and 29.6% were skeptical about doing all ablution duties. Moreover, 23.5% reported slow or repeated readings in prayers, 25.2% had suspicions of breaking their fasting. A strong correlation between religious OC symptoms and total score of OC symptoms scale was confirmed. Most of our patients showed positive correlation between degree of depression and total score OC symptoms scale.ConclusionsMuslim patient present with specific phenomenology of religious OC symptoms. These symptoms are very frequent and negatively influencing their mood.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.