Obsessive-compulsive disorder. What to do if you recognize baffling behavior.

The prognosis for patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder has improved dramatically in recent years. Primary care physicians, who may be the first healthcare professionals to consult with these patients, can often provide appropriate treatment or therapeutic guidance. Psychiatric consultations and the implementation of a long-term management plan may be needed for complicated cases with comorbid psychiatric conditions and for patients with refractory symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder.