2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:43
What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
The main symptoms according to the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for this disorder are:
A. The presence of obsessive thoughts or obsessive actions (or both) for most days.
Obsessions are characterized by:
1. Repetitive and obsessive thoughts, desires or images that appear in a state of anxiety and which patients describe as unwanted, causing fear and distress. Attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, desires, or images, neutralize them with other thoughts, or by performing compulsive actions.
Compulsions have signs:
1. Repeated actions in response to an obsession (for example, washing hands) mental acts (for example, prayer, counting, quiet repetition of words or phrases) or strict adherence to established rules. These actions are aimed at avoiding or reducing feelings of anxiety and distress, preventing a threatening event, situation
2. Obsessions or compulsions cause distress or significant impairment in social, professional or other important areas of life
Obsessive-compulsive symptoms are not explained by the consequences of the use of any substances (for example, drugs, medications, etc.)
The vicious circle of OCD
OCD maintenance cycle. First, an obsessive thought arises, it has a certain meaning for a person, which leads to compulsion, compulsion, in turn, leads to short-term relief. But it does not work for the long-term perspective, and everything returns in a circle again.
Often times, people who seek help with OCD see the irrationality of their obsessions, but these ideas still seem convincing to them. That is why there is a strong desire to do something to neutralize their obsessive thoughts.
The most common obsessive experiences are associated with:
- the fear of contracting an infection from touching dirty clothes or surfaces leads to rituals of washing or cleaning.
- fear of missing something potentially dangerous (for example, forgetting to turn off electrical appliances or lights, or leaving the front doors open), which leads to rituals of checking or repetition;
- excessive concern with the level of organization and perfection, which leads to the repetition of actions until everything is perfect;
- fear of uncontrollable and inappropriate actions, such as swearing in public, or sexual or aggressive behavior, leads to futile attempts to control thoughts.
The most common defensive behaviors are:
- Motor rituals: for example, cleaning, checking and repetitive actions;
- Cognitive rituals neutralizing "bad" thoughts by "thinking" other thoughts (such as prayers, safe spells, or other good thoughts)
- avoidance of situations, people or objects that cause obsessive experiences;
- Seeking comfort from family members, doctors or others;
- Suppression of thoughts
Why does OCD develop?
1. Genetic predisposition to anxiety
2. The scheme "Waiting for a catastrophe" says that the world is full of danger, something bad will certainly happen, and if something terrible happens, then I will not be able to cope with it
3. The hyper-responsibility scheme: I am responsible for ensuring that nothing bad happens, in order to prevent all dangers. If something happens, it is my fault, I am irresponsible. In order not to be guilty, I must do everything very carefully, not make any mistakes.
Self Help Steps
If you are trying to cope with obsessive-compulsive disorder yourself, here are a few steps to help you. But remember that individual work with a specialist is much more efficient and faster.
Step 1 Motivation
Take a piece of paper and write down all the costs and benefits of coping with the disorder.
Step 2 My fears
It will be helpful here to identify and write down a complete list of your obsessive thoughts. Start with a basic fear (For example: fear of getting infected, losing control, making a mistake, etc.), and then list all the predictions on which they are based. (for example, “If I touch the dirt I will become infected and die”). This will help create a realistic picture of your OCD and its place in your life.
Step 3 Define Your Protective and Avoidant Behavior
It means that whatever you do or avoid in order to contain your anxiety is called protective behavior. Any actions that you supposedly need to do in this way and not otherwise can turn into protective behavior - for example, grab objects only through a paper towel. And so do this ritual until you feel that everything is back to normal. Note What exactly are you avoiding because of OCD? A detailed description will be helpful to further overcome the disorder.
Step4 Suppressing thoughts is ineffective
The more you try to suppress obsessive thoughts, the more they become stronger. Therefore, a little experiment will help you verify this. Try not to think about polar bears for the next 15 minutes. Most likely, thoughts of bears will fill your head, and your brain will try to remember the image of a bear. This is why thought suppression does not work.
The main purpose of CBT is to help the person with OCD understand that such obsessions do not indicate the need for action and can be safely ignored.
It is recommended to work with the problem from 12 to 20 sessions.
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