AgoraphobiaDownloads

A 24-year-old male graduate student comes to the physician for a two-month history of repeated thoughts and anxiety that he is going to be harmed by someone on the street. The anxiety worsened after witnessing a pedestrian getting hit by a car two weeks ago. He says, “That was a warning sign.” On his way to school, he now often leaves an hour earlier to take a detour and hide from people that he thinks might hurt him. He is burdened by his coursework and fears that his professors are meaning to fail him. He says his friends are concerned about him but that they do not understand because they were not present at the accident. The patient has no known history of psychiatric illness. On mental status exam, he is alert and oriented, and shows full range of affect. Thought processes and speech are organized. His memory and attention are within normal limits. He denies auditory, visual, or tactile hallucinations. Urine toxicology screening is negative. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis in this patient?

A 23-year-old man presents to an outpatient psychiatrist complaining of anxiety and a persistent feeling that “something terrible will happen to my family.” He describes 1 year of vague, disturbing thoughts about his family members contracting a “horrible disease” or dying in an accident. He believes that he can prevent these outcomes by washing his hands of “the contaminants” any time that he touches something and by performing praying and counting rituals each time that he has unwanted, disturbing thoughts. The thoughts and rituals have become more frequent recently, making it impossible for him to work, and he expresses feeling deeply embarrassed by them. Which of the following is the most effective treatment for this patient's disorder?