A Summary of the Journal Article:
Seasonal Obsessive‑Compulsive Disorder =

A Summary of the Journal Article: Seasonal Obsessive‑Compulsive Disorder Obsessive‑Compulsive Disorder is excessive thought (obsessions) that lead to repetitive behaviors. Seasonal Obsessive‑Compulsive Disorder, which is very rare, is when the symptoms occur during a certain time of the year; such as autumn or spring. This rare ten year (2004-2014) case study is about a patient whose Obsessive‑Compulsive Disorder had its onset during winter and remitted the following summer. This 41yearold housewife, educated up to sixth standard, hailing from middle socioeconomic status, with nil contributory family history, and suffering from hypertension and myopia in left eye (+0.75) and hypermetropia in right eye (−0.75), reported to outpatient clinic with history of 10years duration characterized by unpleasant, frequent, and distressing worries related to dirt and contamination (Sinha, P., Bakhla, A. K., Patnaik, A. K., & Chaudhury, S., 2014). These triggered the occurrence of long, nonfunctional repetitive behaviors such as cleaning and repeating the same words over and over. It was also stated both by husband and the patient that these symptoms have a seasonal pattern developing in October and completing the cycle in April-May. This pattern was so wellrecognized that she wasn’t given any treatment for the first three to four years as they considered it an result of the change of the seasons and that symptoms would go away once winter was over. There was also no associated stress or precipitating factors identified that might have lead to the reoccurrence of her symptoms every year in the winter. Slowly over the years, she noticed that the severity of her illness increased and was causing socio‑occupational dysfunctions, which are the inability to deal with people or do your job or a task with a normal amount of success. Then, she reported for a psychiatric treatment at the beginning of October. On her Mental State Examinations she had obsessions of uncleanness, compulsions for washing, and sought assurance . The severity of her symptoms was assessed by administrating the Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y‑BOCS) and her total Y–BOCS score was a 30 (obsessions score 17 and compulsions score 13), other routine test were within the normal limit. Other than Obsessive‑Compulsive Disorder in the following followups, she was also diagnosed as having cervical spondylitis, which is a general term for age-related wear and tear affecting the spinal disks in your neck. She was on fluoxetine 20 mg once daily for 1month, but did not show much improvement. (Sinha, P., Bakhla, A. K., Patnaik, A. K., & Chaudhury, S., 2014). Therefore, keeping in mind her obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms she was considered for phototherapy, which is the use of light in the treatment of physical or mental illness. Phototherapy was carried out every day during 2 weeks, the light was applied for 2 hours a day. She was also treated for exposure and response prevention therapy (involves a person with OCD facing his or her fears and then refraining from repeating the behavior) twice a week for one hour with a therapist. After a 14day treatment there was a complete remission of OCD symptoms. Her YBOCS score came down to 8 (5 for obsession and 3 for compulsion) and she was discharged on fluoxetine 20mg once daily maintenance treatment. There was no relapse during the next 16months including onset of winter (Sinha, P., Bakhla, A. K., Patnaik, A. K., & Chaudhury, S., 2014). In conclusion, seasonal Obsessive‑Compulsive Disorder is rare and difficult to diagnose, mostly because it takes many years to determine and recognize what is happening and how often it is occurring. Although the reason for seasonal variations in Obsessive‑Compulsive Disorder is unknown, this case study did give a solution to this woman’s Obsessive‑Compulsive Disorder, and hopefully offer some new treatment ideas to treat Obsessive‑Compulsive Disorder.

Reference
Sinha, P., Bakhla, A. K., Patnaik, A. K., & Chaudhury, S. (2014). Seasonal obsessive-compulsive disorder. Industrial Psychiatry Journal, 23(2), 160-162. doi:10.4103/0972-6748.151701