Obsessive compulsive disorders

obsessions

intrusive thoughts, urges or images. unwanted. cause significant distress/anxiety

compulsions

repetitive behaviours or cognitive acts often triggered to prevent obsession

sensory phenomenon

physical feeling of being incomplete/uneasy. manifests as physical tension. 60% of people with OCD have it

body dysmorphic disorder

preoccupation with perceived flaw that is invisible/minor to others. results in repetitive behaviours, distress and often surgery

hoarding disorder

persistent difficulty parting with possessions regardless of value. distress associated w discarding them. clutter leads to congestion/issues living

how many people will be dxed with OCD in their lifetime

2-3%

course of OCD

mostly chronic but fluctuates in severity throughout life

common OCD comorbidities

BDD, GAD, social anxiety, depression, tourette’s, PTSD

neurochemical model of OCD

ocd symptoms are caused by increase of serotonin

neuropsychological model of OCD

overactive pathway: orbitofrontal cortex signals basal ganglia to do something to reduce distress. overactive basal ganglia= behaviour reinforced

cognitive behavioural model of OCD

obsessions arise from catastrophic misinterpretations (cognitive distortions of intrusive thoughts)

likelihood thought-action fusion

catastrophic misinterpretation that having an intrusive thought makes it more likely that the thing will happen

moral thought-action fusion

catastrophic misinterpretation that having an intrusive thought is just as bad as doing the thing itself

exposure and response prevention therapy

gold standard for OCD treatment. exposure to stimuli that trigger obsessions but refrained from performing compulsions. ppl learn distress goes away on its own. very effective but very hard to get through