Currently, Mr. R has greatly improved and is able to function in school. He takes sertraline, 100 mg twice a day, and olanzapine, 7.5 mg twice a day. Mr. R reports his rituals have reduced in frequency to less than 15 minutes each day. His thought processes are organized, and he is confident he will be able to achieve his goals.
The authors’ observations
Given Mr. R’s rapid improvement once an effective pharmacologic regimen was established, we concluded that he had a severe case of OCD with absent insight/delusional beliefs, and that he did not have schizophrenia. Mr. R’s case highlights how a psychiatric diagnosis can produce anxiety as a result of the psychosocial stressors and limitations associated with that diagnosis.
Bottom Line
There is both an epidemiologic and biologic overlap between obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia. In adolescents, either disorder could represent a prodrome or a cause of the other. It is essential to perform a thorough assessment of individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder because these patients may exhibit subtle psychotic symptoms.
Related Resources
- Cunill R, Castells X, Simeon D. Relationships between obsessivecompulsive symptomatology and severity of psychosis in schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Psychiatry. 2009;70(1):70-82.
- Harris E, Delgado SV. Treatment-resistant OCD: there’s more we can do. Current Psychiatry. 2018;17(11):10-12,14-18,51.
Drug Brand Names
Clozapine • Clozaril
Dextroamphetamine • Dexedrine
Divalproex sodium • Depakote
Fluvoxamine • Luvox
Haloperidol • Haldol
Hydroxyzine • Atarax, Vistaril
Lurasidone • Latuda
Olanzapine • Zyprexa
Risperidone • Risperdal
Sertraline • Zoloft