As documented in the American Journal of Psychiatry, researchers have found that all four recognized dimensions of obsessive-compulsive symptoms are associated with other anxiety and mood disorders. Comorbidity implies the incidence of two or more disorders in a given patient, so the fact that all instances of OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) occur with additional health concerns should alert diagnosed individuals to the probability of latent and possibly untreated problems. Research findings showed that the most common comorbid concerns for OCD sufferers were post-traumatic stress disorder and panic disorder. These results suggest that traumatic life experiences influence the development of OCD and related psychological problems, a connection that could be valuable in both diagnostics and treatment of OCD. Future inquiry is likely to address the possibility of treating OCD through its comorbid disorders, which can appear to be exaggerated manifestations of obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

Stein, Murray B. “Worrying About Obsessions and Compulsions.” The American Journal of Psychiatry March 2009, 166(3), 271-273

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