Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Question 1

What is OCD?

Answer 1

A condition characterised by obsessions and/or compulsive behaviour

Question 2

What do all types of OCD have in common?

Answer 2

Repetitive behaviour accompanied by obsessive thinking

Question 3

What are the four categories of OCD?

Answer 3

1) OCD
2) Trichotillomania
3) Hoarding disorder
4) Excoriation disorder

Question 4

What is trichotillomania?

Answer 4

Compulsive hair pulling

Question 5

What is hoarding disorder?

Answer 5

The compulsive gathering of possessions and the inability to part with anything, regardless of its value

Question 6

What is excoriation disorder?

Answer 6

Compulsive skin picking

Question 7

What are the two behavioural characteristics of OCD?

Answer 7

Compulsions and avoidance

Question 8

What are the two elements of compulsive behaviour?

Answer 8

1) Compulsions are repetitive
2) Compulsions reduce anxiety

Question 9

Give four examples of compulsive behaviour

Answer 9

1) Hand washing
2) Counting
3) Praying
4) Tidying/ordering groups of objects

Question 10

Why do compulsions reduce anxiety?

Answer 10

90% of sufferers perform compulsive behaviours in an attempt to manage the anxiety and fear caused by obsessions
For example, hand washing reduced the anxiety around germs

Question 11

Why does OCD cause avoidance?

Answer 11

Sufferers try to reduce anxiety and manage OCD by keeping away from situations that trigger it

Question 12

Why is avoidance bad?

Answer 12

It can lead people to avoid very ordinary situations, which can interfere with living a normal life

Question 13

What are the three emotional characteristics of OCD?

Answer 13

1) Anxiety and distress
2) Accompanying depression
3) Guilt and disgust

Question 14

Why is OCD an unpleasant emotional experience?

Answer 14

Due to the powerful anxiety that accompanies obsessions and compulsions

Question 15

Why does OCD cause anxiety and distress?

Answer 15

Obsessive thoughts are unpleasant and frightening, while the urge to repeat behaviour (compulsions) creates anxiety

Question 16

Why does OCD cause depression?

Answer 16

Compulsive behaviour brings some relief to anxiety but it is only temporary and can seriously limit someone’s life

Question 17

How does OCD cause guilt and disgust?

Answer 17

OCD can cause many negative emotions such as irrational guilt and disgust towards something external or towards the self

Question 18

Why does OCD cause cognitive symptoms?

Answer 18

It causes obsessive thoughts which can make it difficult to think about other things and can also cause a person to adopt cognitive strategies to deal with these

Question 19

What are the three cognitive characteristics of OCD?

Answer 19

1) Obsessive thoughts
2) Cognitive strategies to deal with obsessions
3) Insight into excessive anxiety

Question 20

What are obsessive thoughts?

Answer 20

Unpleasant thoughts that occur over and over again

Question 21

Give two examples of cognitive strategies

Answer 21

Praying and meditating

Question 22

Why does OCD cause someone to adopt cognitive strategies?

Answer 22

It may help to manage anxiety and obsessive thoughts

Question 23

What is the problem with adopting cognitive strategies?

Answer 23

It can make a person appear abnormal to others and can distract them from everyday tasks

Question 24

What is insight into excessive anxiety?

Answer 24

OCD sufferers are aware that their obsessions and compulsions are irrational, but still experience catastrophic thoughts about the worst case scenarios that may result if their anxieties are justified

Question 25

What can insight into excessive anxiety lead to?

Answer 25

Becoming hyper vigilant - maintaining constant alertness and keeping attention focused on potential hazards