Anancasms and Delusion

Overview

The case-history of a physically fit 26-year-old patient detained on account of offences in conjun-ction with drugs, suffering from the age of 15 years from symptoms of anancasms. The decisivesymptom was compulsive washing, based on the idea of contamination with his own sperm. Thepatient’s idea lacked the typical signs of compulsion and developed attributes of delusion. Forseveral reasons it did not prove possible to establish an unequivocal nosological diagnosis. Theauthor discusses problems of differentiation between anacastic ideas and delusions.

Key words:
compulsive disorder, delusion.