Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Lesson 29

Question 1

Define OCD

Answer 1

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a mental health condition where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviour

Question 2

Define obsessions

Answer 2

• Persistent & intrusive thoughts
• Person obsessed with this thinking
• Thoughts are always there

Question 3

Define compulsions

Answer 3

• Repeated behaviours
• Person thinks behaviour will help anxiety
• Feel like they have to carry out behaviour like a ritual

Question 4

What are symptoms of OCD?

Answer 4

• Presence of obsessions and/or compulsions
• Body focused repetitive behaviour e.g hair pulling

Question 5

What do the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders use to categorise OCD?

Answer 5

• Having obsessions and/ or compulsions
• Obession or compulsion is time consuming
• Causes distress or affects participation in social activities
• Symptoms aren’t caused by substances or medical conditions
• Symptoms aren’t explainable by other mental disorders

Question 6

What are the emotional characteristics of OCD?

Answer 6

• Anxiety: severe
• Disgust: about germs
• Lowered self-esteem: fear of something that could happen, feeling worthless

Question 7

What are the behavioural characteristics of OCD?

Answer 7

• Activity levels: reduced or increased
• Repetitiveness: compulsive behaviours like cleaning
• Loss of control: agitation

Question 8

What are the cognitive characteristics of OCD?

Answer 8

• Poor concentration: recurrent intrusive thoughts
• Dwelling on negative: negative thoughts = negative emotions
• Overthinking: uncontrollable

Question 9

What are the biological explanations for OCD?

Answer 9

• Neuroanatomy ( brain structure)
• Neurochemistry (neurotransmitters)
• Genetics

Question 10

How is compulsive behaviour increased due to Neuroanatomy?

Answer 10

• Impulses in Orbitofrontal Cortex are passed to Caudate neuclei which filters out irrelevant impulses
• OFC send worry signals which are usually suppressed by caudate nucleus
• In OCD caudate nucleus is thought to be damaged so it can’t suppress the signals

Question 11

Who has research evidence regarding Neuroanatomy?

Answer 11

Szechtman et al 1998
- high does of drugs that enhance dopamine induce movements resembling compulsive behaviours
Pigott 1992
- Anti-depressant drug that increases serotonin have reduced OCD symptoms