What causes one to do repetitive actions and be in isolation?

Question

Hello doctor,

This query is regarding my younger brother. He is 25 years old. He completed graduation two years back and could not find a job. He has been at home for the last two years after course completion. There is no family pressure. We find some abnormal behaviors in him as under:

1. He is bathing for approximately four hours continuously daily.

2. He has been repeating the same actions like hand washing, watching the same movie many times, and checking any job repeatedly.

3. He is always alone, likes isolation, and has no social life.

4. He is short-tempered, arguing with family members on small things and being adamant.

We want to help him with whatever he likes to do. But he has been behaving as above for the last two years. We tried to counsel him many times. But he did not discuss any problem but behaved as above. Before five years, he was normal. Please look into the above and suggest to us if there is any mental disease. How do we handle this condition?

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

First of all, I would like to tell you that counseling is not the treatment for the symptoms he is having. Repeating things, bathing again and again, washing hands again and again, repeating movies, etc, could be occurring due to obsessions, and he might be suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Please answer these for a better understanding:

1. Does he have the habit of checking things again and again, like checking important papers, wallet, door lock, or car lock?

2. Is there any history of repugnant thoughts?

OCD can be treated properly with medicines. Drugs like SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are used for the treatment of OCD. Fluoxetine is the most preferred drug for OCD. The drug will help to control his intrusive thoughts, and he will feel better. I suggest he visit a psychiatrist for help.

Hope this helps.

Take care.