L11 - Characteristics of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Question 1

what are the THREE CATEGORIES of CHARACTERISTICS of OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER?

Answer 1

1) BEHAVIOURAL
2) EMOTIONAL
3) COGNITIVE

Question 2

what are the BEHAVIOURAL CHARACTERISTICS of OCD? (AC)

Answer 2

(A) Avoidance

(C) Compulsions

Question 3

what is the ‘A’ in AC?

Answer 3

AVOIDANCE - SOME sufferers of OCD ATTEMPT TO REDUCE THEIR ANXIETY by AVOIDING SITUATIONS THAT MIGHT TRIGGER IT

Sufferers who WASH THEIR HANDS CONTINUOUSLY might AVOID COMING INTO CONTACT WITH GERMS by NEVER EMPTYING THEIR BINS

Question 4

what is the ‘C’ in AC?

Answer 4

COMPULSIONS - compulsions are REPETITIVE ACTIONS that COULD SERIOUSLY HINDER the PERSON’s ABILITY TO PERFORM EVERYDAY FUNCTIONS

COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOURS REDUCE ANXIETY that is CAUSED BY OBSESSIONS, giving the person some sort of RELIEF

The person feels they MUST PERFORM THESE ACTIONS otherwise SOMETHING DREADFUL MIGHT HAPPEN. The person MAY WASH THEIR HANDS OVER and OVER AGAIN and it could make them LATE FOR WORK

Question 5

what are the EMOTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS of OCD? (HD)

Answer 5

(H) High Anxiety

(D) Disgust

Question 6

what is the ‘H’ in HD?

Answer 6

HIGH ANXIETY - the OBSESSIONS and COMPULSIONS are a SOURCE OF CONSIDERABLE ANXIETY and DISTRESS. Sufferers are AWARE that their OBSESSIONS and COMPULSIONS are EXCESSIVE and this CAUSES FEELINGS OF EMBARRASSMENT and SHAME.

Sufferers MIGHT ALSO BE AWARE that they CANNOT CONSCIOUSLY CONTROL THEIR COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOURS, which LEADS TO STRONG FEELINGS OF DISTRESS

Question 7

what is the ‘D’ in HD?

Answer 7

DISGUST - FEELINGS OF DISGUST may be DIRECTED AGAINST SOMETHING EXTERNAL like DIRTS, GERMS or the SELF

Question 8

what are the COGNITIVE CHARACTERISTICS of OCD? (CAO)

Answer 8

(C) Catastrophic thinking
(A) Awareness that behaviour is irrational
(O) Obsessions

Question 9

what is the ‘C’ in CAO?

Answer 9

CATASTROPHIC THINKING - people with OCD are SCARED THAT SOMETHING TERRIBLE WILL HAPPEN if they DO NOT CARRY OUT THEIR COMPULSION

Question 10

what is the ‘A’ in CAO?

Answer 10

AWARENESS THAT BEHAVIOUR IS IRRATIONAL - MOST SUFFERERS UNDERSTAND their COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOURS and OBSESSIVE THOUGHTS are INAPPROPRIATE and IRRATIONAL, but they CANNOT CONSCIOUSLY CONTROL or STOP THEM

Question 11

what is the ‘O’ in CAO?

Answer 11

OBSESSIONS - these are RECURRENT, INTRUSIVE, IRRATIONAL THOUGHTS that are PERCEIVED AS INAPPROPRIATE and FORBIDDEN

They MAY BE FRIGHTENING or EMBARRASSING and the person MIGHT NOT WANT TO SHARE THEM WITH OTHERS

COMMON OBSESSIONS include DOUBTS (have they left the light on?) IMPULSES (to shout and swear in public) or IMAGES.

These obsessions are NOT WORRIES ABOUT EVERYDAY PROBLEMS; instead they are UNCONTROLLABLE and CAUSE ANXIETY