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ICD10 diagnosis codes are:
- F95.0 Transient tic disorder
- F95.1 Chronic motor or vocal tic disorder
- F95.2 Combined vocal and multiple motor tic disorder [Gilles de la Tourette]
- F95.8 Other tic disorders
- F95.9 Tic disorder, unspecified
In the fourth revision of the DSM (DSM-IV-TR), tic disorders were classified as follows:
- Transient tic disorder consisted of multiple motor and/or phonic tics with duration of at least 4 weeks, but less than 12 months.
- Chronic tic disorder was either single or multiple motor or phonic tics, but not both, which were present for more than a year.
- Tourette syndrome was diagnosed when both motor and phonic tics were present for more than a year.
- Tic disorder NOS was diagnosed when tics were present, but did not meet the criteria for any specific tic disorder.
Tics are movements or sounds "that occur intermittently and unpredictably out of a background of normal motor activity", having the appearance of "normal behaviors gone wrong". The tics associated with Tourette's change in number, frequency, severity and anatomical location. Waxing and waning—the ongoing increase and decrease in severity and frequency of tics—occurs differently in each individual. Tics may also occur in "bouts of bouts", which vary for each person.
Coprolalia (the spontaneous utterance of socially objectionable or taboo words or phrases) is the most publicized symptom of Tourette's, but it is not required for a diagnosis of Tourette's and only about 10% of Tourette's patients exhibit it. Echolalia (repeating the words of others) and palilalia (repeating one's own words) occur in a minority of cases, while the most common initial motor and vocal tics are, respectively, eye blinking and throat clearing.
In contrast to the abnormal movements of other movement disorders (for example, choreas, dystonias, myoclonus, and dyskinesias), the tics of Tourette's are temporarily suppressible, nonrhythmic, and often preceded by an unwanted premonitory urge. Immediately preceding tic onset, most individuals with Tourette's are aware of an urge, similar to the need to sneeze or scratch an itch. Individuals describe the need to tic as a buildup of tension, pressure, or energy which they consciously choose to release, as if they "had to do it" to relieve the sensation or until it feels "just right". Examples of the premonitory urge are the feeling of having something in one's throat, or a localized discomfort in the shoulders, leading to the need to clear one's throat or shrug the shoulders. The actual tic may be felt as relieving this tension or sensation, similar to scratching an itch. Another example is blinking to relieve an uncomfortable sensation in the eye. These urges and sensations, preceding the expression of the movement or vocalization as a tic, are referred to as "premonitory sensory phenomena" or premonitory urges. Because of the urges that precede them, tics are described as semi-voluntary or ""unvoluntary"", rather than specifically "involuntary"; they may be experienced as a "voluntary", suppressible response to the unwanted premonitory urge. Published descriptions of the tics of Tourette's identify sensory phenomena as the core symptom of the syndrome, even though they are not included in the diagnostic criteria.
While individuals with tics are sometimes able to suppress their tics for limited periods of time, doing so often results in tension or mental exhaustion. People with Tourette's may seek a secluded spot to release their symptoms, or there may be a marked increase in tics after a period of suppression at school or at work. Some people with Tourette's may not be aware of the premonitory urge. Children may be less aware of the premonitory urge associated with tics than are adults, but their awareness tends to increase with maturity. They may have tics for several years before becoming aware of premonitory urges. Children may suppress tics while in the doctor's office, so they may need to be observed while they are not aware they are being watched. The ability to suppress tics varies among individuals, and may be more developed in adults than children.
Although there is no such thing as a "typical" case of Tourette syndrome, the condition follows a fairly reliable course in terms of the age of onset and the history of the severity of symptoms. Tics may appear up to the age of eighteen, but the most typical age of onset is from five to seven. A 1998 study published by Leckman and colleagues from the Yale Child Study Center showed that the ages of highest tic severity are eight to twelve (average ten), with tics steadily declining for most patients as they pass through adolescence. The most common, first-presenting tics are eye blinking, facial movements, sniffing and throat clearing. Initial tics present most frequently in midline body regions where there are many muscles, usually the head, neck and facial region. This can be contrasted with the stereotyped movements of other disorders (such as stims and stereotypies of the autism spectrum disorders), which typically have an earlier age of onset, are more symmetrical, rhythmical and bilateral, and involve the extremities (e.g., flapping the hands). Tics that appear early in the course of the condition are frequently confused with other conditions, such as allergies, asthma, and vision problems: pediatricians, allergists and ophthalmologists are typically the first to see a child with tics.
Most cases of Tourette's in older individuals are mild and almost unrecognizable. When symptoms are severe enough to warrant referral to clinics, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are often associated with Tourette's. In children with tics, the additional presence of ADHD is associated with functional impairment, disruptive behavior, and tic severity. Compulsions resembling tics are present in some individuals with OCD; "tic-related OCD" is hypothesized to be a subgroup of OCD, distinguished from non-tic related OCD by the type and nature of obsessions and compulsions. Not all persons with Tourette's have ADHD or OCD or other comorbid conditions, although in clinical populations, a high percentage of patients presenting for care do have ADHD. One author reports that a ten-year overview of patient records revealed about 40% of patients with Tourette's have "TS-only" or "pure TS", referring to Tourette syndrome in the absence of ADHD, OCD and other disorders. Another author reports that 57% of 656 patients presenting with tic disorders had uncomplicated tics, while 43% had tics plus comorbid conditions. People with "full-blown Tourette's" have significant comorbid conditions in addition to tics.
Tics are sudden, repetitive, nonrhythmic movements (motor tics) and utterances (phonic tics) that involve discrete muscle groups. Motor tics are movement-based tics, while phonic tics are involuntary sounds produced by moving air through the nose, mouth, or throat.
Tourette's was classified by the fourth version of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM-IV-TR) as one of several tic disorders "usually first diagnosed in infancy, childhood, or adolescence" according to type (motor or phonic tics) and duration (transient or chronic). Transient tic disorders consisted of multiple motor tics, phonic tics or both, with a duration between four weeks and twelve months. Chronic tic disorder was either single or multiple, motor or phonic tics (but not both), which were present for more than a year. Tourette's is diagnosed when multiple motor tics, and at least one phonic tic, are present for more than a year. The fifth version of the DSM (DSM-5), published in May 2013, reclassified Tourette's and tic disorders as motor disorders listed in the neurodevelopmental disorder category, and replaced transient tic disorder with provisional tic disorder, but made few other significant changes.
Tic disorders are defined only slightly differently by the World Health Organization International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, ICD-10; code F95.2 is for combined vocal and multiple motor tic disorder [de la Tourette].
Although Tourette's is the more severe expression of the spectrum of tic disorders, most cases are mild. The severity of symptoms varies widely among people with Tourette's, and mild cases may be undetected.
Hyperkinetic disorder is a psychiatric neurodevelopmental condition emerging in early childhood that features an enduring pattern of severe, developmentally inappropriate symptoms, namely inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity across different settings (e.g., home and school) that significantly impair academic, social and work performance. The disorder, which appears in the World Health Organization's ICD-10, is roughly similiar to the "combined presentation" of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the American Psychiatric Association's DSM-V.
Hyperkinetic people display disorganized, poorly controlled and excessive activity; they lack perseverance in tasks involving thought and attention, and tend to move from one activity to the next without completing any. They are frequently accident-prone, reckless and impulsive, and may thoughtlessly (rather than defiantly) break rules. Cognitive impairment and delayed language and motor development are more common in this group than in the general population; and they may experience low self-esteem and engage in dissocial behavior as a consequence of the disorder.
While hyperkinetic children are commonly incautious and unreserved with adults, they might be isolated and unpopular with other children.
Other conditions which feature repetitive behaviors in the differential diagnosis include autism spectrum disorders, obsessive–compulsive disorder, tic disorders (e.g., Tourette syndrome), and other conditions including dyskinesias.
Stereotypic movement disorder is often misdiagnosed as tics or Tourette syndrome (TS). Unlike the tics of TS, which tend to appear around age six or seven, repetitive movements typically start before age three, are more bilateral than tics, and consist of intense patterns of movement for longer runs than tics. Tics are less likely to be stimulated by excitement. Children with stereotypic movement disorder do not always report being bothered by the movements as a child with tics might.
Though the American Psychiatric Association's criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and the World Health Organization's criteria for hyperkinetic disorder each list a very similar set of 18 symptoms, the differing rules governing diagnosis mean that hyperkinetic disorder features greater impairment and more impulse-control difficulties than typical ADHD, and it most resembles a severe case of ADHD combined type.
Unlike ADHD, a diagnosis of hyperkinetic disorder requires that the clinician directly observes the symptoms (rather than relying only on parent and teacher reports); that onset must be by age 6 not 7; and that at least six inattention, three hyperactivity and one impulsivity symptom be present in two or more settings. While ADHD may exist comorbid with (in the presence of) mania or a depressive or anxiety disorder, the presence of one of these rules out a diagnosis of hyperkinetic disorder. Most cases of hyperkinetic disorder appear to meet the broader criteria of ADHD.
Hyperkinetic disorder may exist comorbid with conduct disorder, in which case the diagnosis is hyperkinetic conduct disorder.
Because these are frequently found in cases of autistic disorders, criteria could be met for multiple neurological disorders, or cause severe symptoms.
Some examples include:
1. Learning difficulties symptoms such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalcula, NVLD, slow learning, poor memory, etc.
2. AD/HD symptoms such as poor concentration, poor decision making, poor judgement, impulsiveness, difficulty sitting still, etc.
3. Synesthesia.
4. Neurological sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, insomnia, circadian rhythm disorder, etc.
5. Conditions affecting perceptions and/or cognition, such as agnosia, aphasia, etc.
6. Tourette syndrome or Tic disorder.
7. Epilepsy or Seizure disorder.
8. Parkinsonian syndrome features such as tremors, stiff movements, etc.
Stereotyped movements are common in infants and young children; if the child is not distressed by movements and daily activities are not impaired, diagnosis is not warranted. When stereotyped behaviors cause significant impairment in functioning, an evaluation for stereotypic movement disorder is warranted. There are no specific tests for diagnosing this disorder, although some tests may be ordered to rule out other conditions. SMD may occur with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, intellectual disability, and fetal alcohol exposure or as a result of amphetamine intoxication.
When diagnosing stereotypic movement disorder, DSM-5 calls for specification of:
- with or without self-injurious behavior;
- association with another known medical condition or environmental factor;
- severity (mild, moderate or severe).
The current diagnostic criteria for MCDD are a matter of debate due to it not being in the DSM-IV or ICD-10. Various websites contain various diagnostic criteria. At least three of the following categories should be present. Co-occurring clusters of symptoms must also not be better explained by being symptoms of another disorder such as experiencing mood swings due to autism, cognitive difficulties due to schizophrenia, and so on. The exact diagnostic criteria for MCDD remain unclear but may be a useful diagnosis for people who do not fall into any specific category. It could also be argued that MCDD is a vague and unhelpful term for these patients.
Tourette’s syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent involuntary movements (motor tics) and involuntary noises (vocal tics). The reason Tourette’s syndrome and other tic disorders are being considered for placement in the obsessive compulsive spectrum is because of the phenomenology and co-morbidity of the disorders with obsessive compulsive disorder. Within the population of patients with OCD up to 40% have a history of a tic disorder and 60% of people with Tourette’s syndrome have obsessions and/or compulsions. Plus 30% of people with Tourette’s syndrome have full-scale OCD. Course of illness is another factor that suggests correlation because it has been found that tics displayed in childhood are a predictor of obsessive and compulsive symptoms in late adolescence and early adulthood. However, the association of Tourette’s and tic disorders with OCD is challenged by neuropsychology and pharmaceutical treatment. Whereas OCD is treated with SSRI’s, tics are treated with dopamine blockers and alpha-2 agonists.
Only about 10% of Tourette's patients exhibit coprolalia, but it tends to attract more attention than any other symptom. There is a paucity of epidemiological studies of Tourette syndrome; ascertainment bias affects clinical studies. Studies on people with Tourette's often "came from tertiary referral samples, the sickest of the sick". Further, the criteria for a diagnosis of Tourette's were changed in 2000, when the impairment criterion was removed from the DSM-IV-TR for all tic disorders, resulting in increased diagnoses of milder cases. Further, many clinical studies suffer from small sample size. These factors combine to render older estimates of coprolalia—biased towards clinical populations of the more severe cases—outdated. An international, multi-site database of 3,500 individuals with Tourette syndrome drawn from clinical samples found 14% of patients with Tourette's accompanied by comorbid conditions had coprolalia, while only 6% of those with uncomplicated ("pure") Tourette's had coprolalia. The same study found that the chance of having coprolalia increased linearly with the number of comorbid conditions: patients with four or five other conditions—in addition to tics—were four to six times more likely to have coprolalia than persons with only Tourette's. One study of a general pediatric practice found an 8% rate of coprolalia in children with Tourette syndrome, while another study found 60% in a tertiary referral center (where typically more severe cases are referred). A more recent Brazilian study of 44 patients with Tourette syndrome found a 14% rate of coprolalia; a Costa Rican study of 85 subjects found 20% had coprolalia; a Chilean study of 70 patients found an 8.5% rate of coprolalia; older studies in Japan reported a 4% incidence of coprolalia; and a still older clinical study in Brazil found 28% of 32 patients had coprolalia. Considering the methodological issues affecting all of these reports, the consensus of the Tourette Syndrome Association is that the actual number is below 15 percent.
OCD can present with a wide variety of symptoms. Certain groups of symptoms typically occur together. These groups are sometimes viewed as dimensions or clusters that may reflect an underlying process. The standard assessment tool for OCD, the Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), has 13 predefined categories of symptoms. These symptoms fit into three to five groupings. A meta analytic review of symptom structures found a four factor structure(grouping) to be most reliable. The observed groups included a "symmetry factor", a "forbidden thoughts factor", a "cleaning factor" and a "hoarding factor". The "symmetry factor" correlated highly with obsessions related to ordering, counting, symmetry as well as repeating compulsions. The "forbidden thoughts factor" correlated highly with intrusive and distressing thoughts of a violent, religious or sexual nature. The "cleaning factor" correlated highly with obsessions about contamination and compulsions related to cleaning. The "hoarding factor" only involved hoarding related obsessions and compulsions, and was identified as being distinct from other symptom groupings.
While OCD has been considered a homogenous disorder from a neuropsychological perspective, many of the putative neuropsychological deficits may be due to comorbid disorders. Furthermore, some subtypes have been associated with improvement in performance on certain tasks such as pattern recognition(washing subtype) and spatial working memory(obsessive thought subtype). Subgroups have also been distinguished by neuroimaging findings and treatment response. Neuroimaging studies on this have been too few, and the subtypes examined have differed too much to draw any conclusions. On the other hand, subtype dependent treatment response has been studied, and the hoarding subtype has consistently responded least to treatment.
Hypochondriasis is excessive preoccupancy or worry about having a serious illness. These thoughts cause a person a great deal of anxiety and stress. The prevalence of this disorder is the same for men and women. Hypochondriasis is normally recognized in early adult age. Those that suffer with hypochondriasis are constantly thinking of their body functions, minor bumps and bruises as well as body images. Hypochondriacs go to numerous outpatient facilities for confirmation of their own diagnosis. Hypochondriasis is the belief that something is wrong but it is not known to be a delusion.
A 2013 meta-analysis confirmed people with OCD to have mild but wide-ranging cognitive deficits; significantly regarding spatial memory, to a lesser extent with verbal memory, fluency, executive function and processing speed, while auditory attention was not significantly affected. People with OCD show impairment in formulating an organizational strategy for coding information, set-shifting, motor and cognitive inhibition.
Coprolalia encompasses words and phrases that are culturally taboo or generally unsuitable for acceptable social use, when used out of context. The term is not used to describe contextual swearing. It is usually expressed out of social or emotional context, and may be spoken in a louder tone or different cadence or pitch than normal conversation. It can be a single word, or complex phrases. A person with coprolalia may repeat the word mentally rather than saying it out loud; these subvocalizations can be very distressing.
Coprolalia is an occasional characteristic of Tourette syndrome, although it is not required for a diagnosis of Tourette's. In Tourette syndrome, compulsive swearing can be uncontrollable and undesired by the person uttering the phrases. Involuntary outbursts, such as racial or ethnic slurs in the company of those most offended by such remarks, can be particularly embarrassing. The phrases uttered by a person with coprolalia do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of the person.
Cases of deaf Tourette patients swearing in sign language have been described, showing that coprolalia is not just a consequence of the short and sudden sound pattern of many swear words.
One of the symptoms of conduct disorder is a lower level of fear. Research performed on the impact of toddlers exposed to fear and distress shows that negative emotionality (fear) predicts toddlers' empathy-related response to distress. The findings support that if a caregiver is able to respond to infant cues, the toddler has a better ability to respond to fear and distress. If a child does not learn how to handle fear or distress the child will be more likely to lash out at other children. If the caregiver is able to provide therapeutic intervention teaching children at risk better empathy skills, the child will have a lower incident level of conduct disorder.
Currently, two possible developmental courses are thought to lead to conduct disorder. The first is known as the "childhood-onset type" and occurs when conduct disorder symptoms are present before the age of 10 years. This course is often linked to a more persistent life course and more pervasive behaviors. Specifically, children in this group have greater levels of ADHD symptoms, neuropsychological deficits, more academic problems, increased family dysfunction, and higher likelihood of aggression and violence.
There is debate among professionals regarding the validity and appropriateness of diagnosing young children with conduct disorder. The characteristics of the diagnosis are commonly seen in young children who are referred to mental health professionals. A premature diagnosis made in young children, and thus labeling an individual, may be inappropriate. It is also argued that some children may not in fact have conduct disorder, but are engaging in developmentally appropriate disruptive behavior.
The second developmental course is known as the "adolescent-onset type" and occurs when conduct disorder symptoms are present after the age of 10 years. Individuals with adolescent-onset conduct disorder exhibit less impairment than those with the childhood-onset type and are not characterized by similar psychopathology. At times, these individuals will remit in their deviant patterns before adulthood. Research has shown that there is a greater number of children with adolescent-onset conduct disorder than those with childhood-onset, suggesting that adolescent-onset conduct disorder is an exaggeration of developmental behaviors that are typically seen in adolescence, such as rebellion against authority figures and rejection of conventional values. However, this argument is not established and empirical research suggests that these subgroups are not as valid as once thought.
In addition to these two courses that are recognized by the DSM-IV-TR, there appears to be a relationship among oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder and antisocial personality disorder. Specifically, research has demonstrated continuity in the disorders such that conduct disorder is often diagnosed in children who have been previously diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder, and most adults with antisocial personality disorder were previously diagnosed with conduct disorder. For example, some research has shown that 90% of children diagnosed with conduct disorder had a previous diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder. Moreover, both disorders share relevant risk factors and disruptive behaviors, suggesting that oppositional defiant disorder is a developmental precursor and milder variant of conduct disorder. However, this is not to say that this trajectory occurs in all individuals. In fact, only about 25% of children with oppositional defiant disorder will receive a later diagnosis of conduct disorder. Correspondingly, there is an established link between conduct disorder and the diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder as an adult. In fact, the current diagnostic criteria for antisocial personality disorder require a conduct disorder diagnosis before the age of 15. However, again, only 25-40% of youths with conduct disorder will develop antisocial personality disorder. Nonetheless, many of the individuals who do not meet full criteria for antisocial personality disorder still exhibit a pattern of social and personal impairments or antisocial behaviors. These developmental trajectories suggest the existence of antisocial pathways in certain individuals, which have important implications for both research and treatment.
Bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (BD-NOS) is a diagnosis for bipolar disorder (BD) when it does not fall within the other established sub-types. Bipolar disorder NOS is sometimes referred to as subthreshold bipolar disorder.
In the DSM-5 the disorder has been renamed somatic symptom disorder (SSD), and includes SSD with predominantly somatic complaints (previously referred to as somatization disorder), and SSD with pain features (previously known as pain disorder).
Organic personality disorder (OPD) is not included in the wide variety of group of personality disorders. For this reason, the symptoms and diagnostic criteria of the organic personality disorder are different from those of the mental health disorders, which are included in this various group of personality disorders. According to the Tenth Revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems ICD-10, it defines the organic personality disorder as the personality change, which can be caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI) that means there are specific brain areas of patients, which have been injured after a very strong accident. Moreover, according to the ICD-10, the organic personality disorder is associated with a "significant alteration of the habitual patterns of premorbid behaviour". Furthermore, organic personality disorder is associated with "personality change due to general medical condition". There are crucial influences on emotions, impulses and personal needs because of this disorder. Thus, all these definitions about the organic personality disorder support that this type of disorder is associated with changes in personality and behaviour.
As it has already been mentioned, the organic personality disorder is included in a wide group of personality and behavioural disorders. This mental health disorder can be caused by disease, brain damages or dysfunctions in specific brain areas in frontal lobe. The most common reason for this profound change in personality is the traumatic brain injury (TBI). Children, whose brain areas have injured or damaged, may present Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and organic personality disorder. Moreover, this disorder is characterised as "frontal lobe syndrome". This characteristic name shows that the organic personality disorder can usually be caused by lesions in three brain areas of frontal lobe. Specifically, the symptoms of organic personality disorder can also be caused by traumatic brain injuries in orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. It is worth to be mentioned that organic personality disorder may also be caused by lesions in other circumscribed brain areas.
BD-NOS is a mood disorder and one of three subtypes on the bipolar spectrum, which also includes bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder. BD-NOS was a classification in the DSM-IV and has since been changed to Bipolar "Other Specified" and "Unspecified" in the 2013 released DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
The inability to control the urge to pick is similar to the urge to compulsively pull one's own hair, i.e., trichotillomania. Researchers have noted the following similarities between trichotillomania and excoriation disorder: the symptoms are ritualistic but there are no preceding obsessions; there are similar triggers for the compulsive actions; both conditions appear to play a role in modifying the arousal level of the subject; and the age of onset for both conditions is similar. There is also a high level of comorbidity between those that have trichotillomania and those that have excoriation disorder. A notable difference between these conditions is that skin picking seems to be dominated by females whereas trichotillomania is more evenly distributed across genders.
Research has also suggested that excoriation disorder may be thought of as a type of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Excoriation disorder and OCD are similar in that they both involve "repetitive engagement in behaviors with diminished control" and also both generally decrease anxiety.
Nevertheless, Odlaug and Grant have suggested that excoriation disorder is more akin to substance abuse disorder than OCD. They argue that excoriation disorder differs from OCD in the following fundamental ways: (1) there is a much greater share of females with excoriation disorder; (2) excoriation disorder may be inherently pleasurable whereas OCD is not; (3) the treatments that are generally effective for patients with OCD (i. e., SSRIs and exposure therapy) are not as successful in patients with excoriation disorder; and (4) unlike OCD, picking the skin is rarely driven by obsessive thoughts. Odlaug and Grant have recognized the following similarities between individuals with dermatillomania and patients with addictions: (1) a compulsion to engage in the negative behavior despite knowledge of the harm; (2) a lack of control over the problematic behavior; (3) a strong urge to engage in the behavior prior to engagement; and (4) a feeling of pleasure while engaging in the behavior or a feeling of relief or reduced anxiety after engaging in the behavior. One study that supported the addiction theory of picking found that 79% of patients with excoriation disorder reported a pleasurable feeling when picking.
Odlaug and Grant also argue that dermatillomania could have several different psychological causes, which would explain why some patients seem more likely to have symptoms of OCD, and others, of an addiction. They suggest that treating certain cases of excoriation as an addiction may yield more success than treating them as a form of OCD.
Separation anxiety disorder
- excessive stress when separated from home or family
- fear of being alone
- refusal to sleep alone
- clinginess
- excessive worry about safety
- excessive worry about getting lost
- frequent medical complaints with no cause
- refusal to go to school
Selective mutism
- unable to speak in certain social situations, even though they are comfortable speaking at home or with friends
- difficulty maintaining eye contact
- may have blank facial expressions
- stiff body movements
- may have a worrisome personality
- may be incredibly sensitive to sound
- difficulty with verbal and non-verbal expression
- may appear shy, when in reality, they have a fear of people.
Reactive attachment disorder of infancy or early childhood
- withdrawing from others
- aggressive attitude towards peers
- awkwardness or discomfort
- watching others but not engaging in social interaction
Stereotypic movement disorder
- head banging
- nail biting
- hitting or biting oneself
- hand waving or shaking
- rocking back and forth