Although there are behaviors and impulses common to OCD, the disorder often remains unrecognized or misdiagnosed. On average, people with OCD see three to four doctors and spend nine years seeking treatment before they receive a correct diagnosis. Studies find that it takes an average of 17 years from the time OCD begins for people to obtain appropriate treatment.
How is a person diagnosed? There is no test to check for OCD, so diagnoses are based on the assessment of a doctor, usually a psychiatrist or psychologist. OCD frequently goes untreated for long periods because of its similarity with other disorders. Trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling), Body Dysmorphic Disorder (imagined ugliness), and Tourette's Disorder (sudden tics) share similar qualities to those found in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
