OCD Flashcards
What is OCD
Obsessions are unwanted and uncontrolled thoughts and intrusive images that the person finds it very difficult to ignore. Examples of this are an overwhelming fear of contamination with dirt or germs or violent or explicit images that keep appearing in their mind.
Compulsions are repetitive actions the person feels they must do, generating anxiety if they are not done. Often these compulsions are a way for the person to handle the obsessions. For example, checking that all electrical equipment is turned off to settle the anxiety of obsessing about the house burning down. This is a normal behaviour, but in OCD the person may check every plug in the house 10 times before being able to go to sleep or leave.
OCD Treatment
Mild OCD may be managed with education and self help resources.
More significant OCD may require:
Referral to CAMHS
Patient and carer education
Cognitive behavioural therapy
SSRIs medications (under the guidance of a CAMHS specialist)
