Obsessive Compulsive Disorder info
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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) affects 1 in 50 people, (1 in
100 children) and affects men and women equally. It may appear at any time in a
person's life, but for 50% of sufferers, it begins in childhood or adolescence.
Symptoms may come and go, improve or worsen over time. OCD appears to
run in families. It can occur together with other disorders such as Depression, Anxiety Disorders, Eating Disorders, Trichotillomania (hair pulling), or Tourette Syndrome
It is characterised by anxious thoughts (obsessions) and/or rituals (compulsions) you feel
you cannot control. It is sometimes dubbed 'the doubting disease'.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy theory says that OCD is usually experienced
as anxiety caused by thoughts of harm happening to ourselves or others, for
which we might be responsible. The thoughts (or images or urges) are the
obsessions, and the compulsions are what we do in order to make the anxiety feel
better ("neutralising behaviours").
Obsessions
Recurrent, unwanted and distressing thoughts which you cannot control. For example,
the thought that your hands may be contaminated or that something terrible will happen.
It is common to frequently doubt things, then worry - leading to the compulsion to
check.
You might experience 'Intrusive
Thoughts' where perhaps a sudden thought comes into your mind that
distresses you. An example may be of violence, and you may therefore fear that you
will hurt someone close to you. You may think about sexual acts which repulse
you, or have thoughts which go against your religious beliefs. Because these
thoughts distress and repulse you - they are not acted upon.
Compulsions
Rituals/behaviours which you feel you must do. They may include handwashing,
counting, checking (electricity or gas eg), cleaning etc. They are usually
performed in response to the obsessional thought, in an effort to make that thought go
away.
Eg. In the above example of thinking your hands are contaminated, the compulsion is
to repeatedly wash them.
You may spend long periods of time counting things or touching them, or you may become
pre-occupied with symmetry or order.
Performing these behaviours though will only provide temporary relief. Not performing them increases the anxiety.
Childhood compulsions may include not stepping on cracks in paving stones - and believing some awful event will occur if they do. Others may switch a light on and off a certain amount of times, or until "it feels right", or repeating a phrase (or asking the parent to repeat) until it "sounds right". Symmetry, order, routine, touching, counting etc may also be features. Childhood OCD Links
Most people can identify with some of the symptoms, but it only becomes a disorder when
the thoughts or behaviours take up at least an hour a day, are very distressing and
interfere with your daily life.
Some people may medicate themselves with alcohol or drugs but that tends to
complicate matters rather than help.
Cause
Recent research provides growing evidence that OCD has a neurobiological cause.
Neuro Imaging shows different brain activity patterns to a person without OCD. PET
scans have shown that Behavioural Therapy and medication produces changes in the brain -
proof that the treatment works!
Treatment
Normally includes behaviour therapy and/or medication. A combination of the 2 is
most effective.
Medication is usually the SSRI type of
anti-depressants including paroxetine, sertraline, fluoxetine and clomipramine.
Behaviour Therapy often consists of dealing
with the particular fear eg. Someone who compulsively cleans the house will be asked (to
either do this or imagine) to allow the family to use the house as normal, and then
the person is discouraged from cleaning for several hours.
The person should gradually experience less anxiety from the thoughts and become better
able to cope without performing the behaviour for longer periods of time. Behaviour
therapy is shown to be of greater long term benefit than other treatment.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy has been shown to be effective for OCD, and builds on the existing treatment of Behaviour Therapy. CBT treats our thoughts and thinking processes in OCD.
(Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is very different to Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (see links) - and they should not be confused)
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31 May 2008
Now Play This A Child's War 8 in a Bar
