Obsessive compulsive disorder: report of six cases

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) refers to interloping and interative thoughts, ideas, images, fantasies, impulses and actions accompanied by feelings of distress and declarations of resistance. It is assumed that OCD is rare among black Africans. This paper reports six cases from Uganda. The report indicates that OCD exists among black Africans and that those affected experience considerable amounts of emotional, social and occupational distress. It is suggested that OCD should be taught adequately to medical students to enable future general-duty medical officers to recognise and manage it appropriately. The names that appear in the text are pseudonyms.