Treatment of co-morbid obsessive compulsive disorder, mood, and anxiety disorders

In Sumary, OCD, non-OCD anxiety disorders and mood disorders are common co-morbid psychiatric disorders are common co-morbid psychiatric disorders in clinically referred youth with TS. Emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression may be more problematic to the patient than the tics, with regard to overall illness severity and the potential for adverse outcomes, such as school and social failure. The emotional symptoms and co-morbid mood and anxiety disorders must be comprehensively identified because they will require specific intervention and treatment. Treatment must be tailored to each individual, and should ideally include education, monitoring, and prioritization of symptoms based on distress and impairment. There is growing evidence to support the use of several medications, particularly the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and some cognitive behavioral techniques to treat the psychiatric co-morbid disorders.