Expert opinion in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Could protective measures for COVID-19 contribute to the worsening of OCD symptoms?

The COVID-19 outbreak has placed considerable strain on the wellbeing of individuals across the world, and resources have been already put in place to assess the psycho-social aftermath of this pandemic. With strict hygiene measures and recommendations now constituting the norm, we wonder specifically about those individuals that were heavily concerned by contamination, germs and viruses in the pre-COVID era. Patients affected by obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), and specifically those of the contamination/washing subtype, might indeed be exceptionally vulnerable to an increase in symptom severity due to the current circumstances. Albeit only relating to the acute phase of this pandemic, evidence collected thus far offer valuable insights into whether this concern is substantiated. After reviewing some of the available results, we reason on the conclusions that we can currently draw, on the factors that might play a role in driving them and on those that might be worth focusing on as the pandemic is running its course.