Which psychiatric disorder is the most common comorbid condition in patients with OCD across the lifespan?

• A Bipolar I disorder
• B Autism spectrum disorder
• C Schizophrenia
• D Major depressive disorder ✓

Explanation

Major depressive disorder is the most frequent comorbid condition in OCD, affecting roughly 40 percent or more of patients over the lifetime, often developing secondary to the chronic disability and distress produced by the obsessions and compulsions. Bipolar I disorder, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorder occur at substantially lower rates in OCD populations. Recognising this comorbidity matters clinically because significant depression can impair adherence to exposure and response prevention therapy.

Reference: Kaplan and Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry, 11th ed.

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