Living with obsessional personality

• Published in: BJPsych Bulletin Vol. 41; no. 6; pp. 366 - 367
• Main Authors: Rowland, Tobias A, Jainer, Ashok Kumar, Panchal, Reena
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Cambridge University Press 01.12.2017; Royal College of Psychiatrists
• Subjects: Adolescents; Clinical standards; Columns; Compulsions; Mental disorders; Mental health services; Obsessive compulsive disorder; Perfectionism; Personality disorders; Relatives
• ISSN: 2056-4694; 2056-4708; 2053-4868
• DOI: 10.1192/pb.41.6.366a

Obsessive–compulsive and related disorders are defined in DSM-5 and include obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) or anankastic personality disorder in ICD-10. Its prevalence is believed to be 1–2% in the general population, but it occurs much more frequently in psychiatric populations and is under-recognised and poorly researched, although it is beginning to gather greater awareness. In a clinical setting such patients can appear to function well and are often high achieving, so it can be difficult to ascertain what problems to target in treatment. However, family members and partners are often acutely aware of the difficulties of living with someone with OCPD and can provide valuable collateral information to mental health services. OCPD is a personality type where the need for perfectionism in all aspects of life takes precedence. Individuals with OCPD hold high standards which originate from dysfunctional beliefs thought to be established in early adolescence.