OCD diagnoses are on the rise among girls

Diagnoses of obsessive-compulsive disorder are on the rise among young girls.
Experts believe there may be several reasons.
– Oskar Fleijer, a researcher at the Karolinska Institutet, says more specialized clinics could be a contributing factor.

The researchers believe that obsessive-compulsive disorder will generally increase with the epidemic, as many become aware of the dangers of poor hygiene and the spread of viruses.

Studies that analyzed the prevalence of OCD before and during the epidemic did not, in fact, see such an increase in adults. We were surprised by this, as it is hard to imagine a broader trigger for OCD, says psychologist Oskar Fleijer, who thesis It delves into psychological treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder.

However, the increase in OCD diagnoses among young girls that has been going on over the past ten years continues. Researchers don’t know what causes it. This increase is particularly evident among girls in the Stockholm area.

– Possibilities imaginable are that the specialized reception Obsessive-compulsive disorder Kristina Aspvall, a psychologist and researcher at the Karolinska Institutet, says women in Stockholm are receiving more referrals than before, or girls are largely subject to in-depth assessments and investigations where diagnoses of comorbidities are also made.