Prevalence of Suicidality in Patients of Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder with Depression and without Depression: A Cross-sectional Study

Aim and background:To draw a comparison between the prevalence of suicidality in patients of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with depression and without depression.Materials and methods: Ninety patients who visited the psychiatry OPD and were identified as having OCD, as determined by a psychiatrist using the ICD-10 diagnostic criteria, were included in the study.The patients were then screened for depression using the PHQ-9 scale, OCD severity using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), severity of depression using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), and suicide severity using the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS).Results: Among the 90 patients, 50 (55.6%)were female, 59 (65.6%) were Muslim by religion, 34 (37.8%) were between the ages of 31 and 40, 25 (27.7%) had severe-to-very-severe depression, and 22 (24.4%) of them had suicidal ideation with 25 patients (27.8%) having a past history of suicidal behavior/attempt.Conclusion: A significant association between suicidality and depression in OCD patients was found with the incidence of suicidal behavior being higher among severe OCD cases (83.3%).Clinical significance: More the severity of OCD, the greater is the plausibility of having depression, anxiety, and other comorbidities.Additionally, the chronic and refractory nature of OCD symptoms can contribute to increased levels of stress and impairment in daily functioning, leading to further negative emotional states and a greater risk of developing depression.