A 26-year-old woman presented to the clinic after her cleaning rituals had so exhausted her that she had given up and could now enter only two of the five rooms in her home. For more than a year she has worried that if her house is not sufficiently clean, her 3-year-old son will become ill and could die. Having touched a surface she has to disinfect it repeatedly – a procedure performed in a particular way and taking several hours. In addition, she repetitively washes her hands and sterilizes all the crockery and cutlery before eating. She realizes that she is ‘going over the top’, but she cannot stop thinking that items may have germs on them. This leads to disabling anxiety and fear for her son’s health, which she can only resolve by cleaning. This helps temporarily, but soon the thoughts return again.
- Summarize the clinical case.
- What is the DSM 5-TR diagnosis based on the information provided in the case?
- Which pharmacological treatment would you prescribe? Include the rationale for this treatment.
- Which non-pharmacological treatment would you prescribe? Include the rationale for this treatment excluding a psychotherapeutic modality.
- Include an assessment of the treatment’s appropriateness, cost, effectiveness, safety, and potential for patient adherence to the chosen medication. Use a local pharmacy to research the cost of the medication and provide the most cost-effective choice for the patient. Use great detail when answering questions 3-5.