ABSTRACT
Anthony is a 16-year-old teen referred for evaluation of compulsive behaviors that include excessive hand washing, the need to enter a certain room in a specific fashion, and the need to touch objects that he feels compelled to carry with him at all times. Although he had previous episodes of compulsive behaviors (showering for 45 minutes at a time), the current compulsions began about 2 years ago when his family moved from Maine to the southeast. At the time of the evaluation, he has intrusive thoughts that harm might come to him or his family. Most of the time, the thoughts are uncontrollable, and repetitive behaviors designed to relieve them bring only temporary relief. The behaviors cause disruption in his schoolwork, family interactions, and peer socialization.
