Videojug

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

Info
  • Videojug
  • Videojug
  • 4:55
  • Yes
  • 360p
  • 640x360
  • Flash
  • h.264
  • 900kbps

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

Rhoda Hahn (Psychiatrist) gives expert video advice on: What is "obsessive-compulsive personality disorder"?; Who is at risk for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder?; What are the treatments for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder? and more...

What is "obsessive-compulsive personality disorder"?

"Obsessive compulsive personality disorder" is characterized by a need for intense orderliness, perfectionism and control; this is achieved at the expense of flexibility, efficiency and openness. It is important that "Obsessive compulsive personality disorder" is differentiated very clearly from "obsessive-compulsive" disorder. "Obsessive compulsive personality disorder" is also known as the "anal" character. These are people who have to have everything very neat and tidy. On the other hand, "obsessive compulsive disorder" is one in which is characterized by all the quirks, such as counting things or ritualistic washing of the hands. They are not the same disorder at all, nor do they predispose each other.

What causes obsessive-compulsive personality disorder?

There isn't a clearly identified cause for "obsessive-compulsive personality disorder". One of the things that this has been linked to, at least in the psychoanalytic literature, is the "anal character". Since these people tend to be very controlling, or feel a great need to try to control things, there has been some suggestion that it is linked to cooperationg with the mother during potty training. This theory obviously relates back to the "anal character" found in pschoanalysis.

Who is at risk for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder?

Men appear to be more affected by obsessive compulsive disorder than women. Again, there may be developmental factors, as I discussed previously, that put you at risk of developing obsessive compulsive disorder. When I've given this lecture before to medical students, they all ran home and asked their mothers about whether they were easy to potty train or not. We don't really know if that has anything to do with the development of obsessive compulsive disorder, though.

What are the treatments for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder?

People with OCPD tend to become depressed particularly when things get difficult. So if OCPD sufferers meet criteria for mood or anxiety disorders, they should definitely be treated in a standard fashion. Other than that, I think it's inside-orientated psychotherapy (a way of letting them see that it's actually their behaviour that's leading to some of the problems that they're having in their life) and trying to get the OCPD sufferer to open up a little more emotionally, perhaps be less rigid and inflexible.

39,173 views
Tips & Comments
  1. Glen_Godfrey

    The individual with Obsessive-Compulsive Personality disorder often becomes upset then control is lost. The individual then either emotionally withdraws from these situations, or becomes very angry. The individual usually expresses affection in a highly controlled or stilted fashion and may be very uncomfortable in the presence of others who are emotionally expressive. The person often has difficulty expressing tender feelings, and rarely pays compliments. http://www.thebrainhealth.com/obsessive-compulsive-personality-disorder.html

  2. wisernow

    I dated a man who was very charming until we lived under the same roof.Tthen he expected to follow his instructions re cooking, cleaning, shopping etc. Even though I had a profession he would tell me how to do my job. If I disagreed or didn't follow his instructions he got insulting and continuously put me down at every turn. It was a very unhealthy. It was not solvable situation as everything was my problem as he was perfect Divorce was the only route out of this unreasonable rigidity..

  3. huckle527

    Some changes must be done to my emotions. I kind of tend to be showing signs of the obsessive-compulsive personality.

  4. Anonymous

    Very helpful video.There are obviously variations among sufferers but the basic idea comes across very clearly. thanks.

  5. Anonymous

    i think it was very interesting and very true of my ex husbands behavour and it has heped me no end to realize that i was not to blame and i did the right thing in divorcing him as i have been doughting myself thankyou DR RHODA

  6. Anonymous

    I think this video is interesting but I am slightly shocked at how condescendent it sounds towards people who have to deal with OCPD. Even those who belong to this umbrella expression are individually different. My husband has OCPD and he does not share all of those traits. For example, he is not at all neat and tidy because he wants to deal with all his things in a specific way and that way often seems too exhausting so nothing at all gets done, paperwork piles up all over the bedroom making hoovering impossible etc. He is socially shy but can be fun when he gets drunk with his mates. He thinks of himself as fun and almost cringingly tries to joke about everything. This does come across as very unrelaxed. I think it would be useful to emphasise the treatment a little more and to be a tad more respectful towards this group of people. This might allow OCPDers to actually seek help and fear being condemned by the psychiatric profession a little less.

  7. Anonymous

    I found this video to be extremely helpful.

  8. Bbrhuft

    OCPD may be related to the autism, which also predominantly affects males (6 males to 1 female). Some adults with mild Autism have been misdiagnosed with OCPD, and therefore high functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome in adulthood should be considered as a differential diagnosis. See Fitzgerald, M., 2004. Misdiagnosis of Asperger syndrome as anankastic personality disorder. Autism, 8(1):112-3.