The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Abstract

Objective Little is known about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The main aim of this study was to investigate how the pandemic has affected OCD patients and the relationship between the clinical features and the fear and obsession with COVID-19. Methods A total of 30 consecutive patients with OCD and 30 age-and sex-matched healthy controls were included in this cross-sectional study. Based on retrospective information provided by the patients, we evaluated changes in the severity of their OCD during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. We compared patients with OCD and healthy subjects using scores obtained from various scales. Results We found that symptom severity worsened in 60% of OCD patients during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period, remained unchanged in 30%, and improved in 10%. The levels of obsession with COVID-19 were found to be higher in OCD patients than in healthy control subjects. The levels of fear of and obsession with COVID-19 both correlated with the anxiety levels of patients with OCD and healthy controls. Conclusions Our results suggest that the levels of COVID-19 related fear and obsession are not linked to the severity of OCD, but to anxiety levels. Key points Obsessive-compulsive symptom severity worsened in 60% of OCD patients in the pandemic. COVID-19 obsession levels were higher in OCD patients than healthy controls. COVID-19 fear levels did not differ between the OCD and healthy control groups. COVID-19 obsession levels were correlated with anxiety severity in OCD and healthy control groups.