PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF COVID-19PANDEMIC ON PATIENTS WITH OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER

Introduction: Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by persistent irrational thoughts manifested by repeated actions. These disorders often have an impact on the social life of those who suffer from them, with a tendency towards isolation which can be exacerbated during this period of confinement. Among these disorders, the fear of contamination is very common. This fear is influenced by culture, society, and global health issues. Thus, in 1920, many cases of fear of syphilis emerged following major awareness campaigns pertaining to the disease. In the 1980s, obsessive disorders related to the risk of HIV infection appeared. Likewise, the Covid-19 coronavirus epidemic is likely to cause a significant deal of anxiety for some people with obsessive-compulsive disorder, thus justifying the aggravation of the clinical condition of this category of patients. The hand-washing recommendations that were promoted during the pandemic would prove to be a major trigger for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Quickly, this gesture becomes an obsession and gradually as the virus spreads, experts expect the cases of associated obsessive-compulsive disorders to increase [1]. Closeness between family members and disrupted habits during confinement can lead to conflict, which can increase the frequency of compulsions. Meditation can also increase the flow of uncontrolled thoughts which can promote the emergence of obsessions. During this time of the pandemic, doctors and people with obsessive-compulsive disorders find themselves in a dilemma. On the one hand, to treat obsessive-compulsive disorders, hand washing is prohibited, and on the other hand, to prevent the spread of the virus, hand washing is strongly recommended. Covid-19 can therefore be an unbearable nightmare, and harder to manage for people with obsessive-compulsive disorders. Objective: This study aims to assess the psychological repercussions of confinement on patients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorders during the Covid-19 pandemic, and to underline the link between the aggravation of the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder and the underlying perceived stress associated with it. Methodology: This is a descriptive and analytical study, which involves a sample of patients tracked for obsessive-compulsive disorders, and which is founded on collecting their individual information through an anonymous survey, which was submitted via social networks, either by using smartphones or during consultations. As an assessment instrument, in addition to the survey for collecting socio-demographic data, we opted for the Yale-Brown Scale to assess the severity of the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) to assess the perceived stress on this group of patients during this pandemic. These scales were chosen because of their frequent use in several studies on the same topic. Results:We collected 102 responses, of which 55% were women 39% of our candidates worked remotely and only 38.8% of patients were able to continue their medical follow-up at the hospital during the confinement.