ocd: non-bio explanation - cognitive therapy

Question 1

how can ocd be explained according to cognitive therapy?

Answer 1

1. misinterpretations of thoughts
2. lack of confidence in memory
3. hypervigilance

Question 2

misinterpretation of thoughts and ocd

Answer 2

• cognitive theory explains ocd by suggesting that people with ocd misinterpret their thoughts, due to false beliefs learned earlier in life
• most people have intrusive or uninvited thoughts similar to those reported by people with OCD. individuals prone to developing ocd, however, might exaggerate importance of thought, and respond as thought it represent an actual threat. this can cause a high level of anxiety and other negative emotions
• cognitive theory suggests that as long as people interpret intrusive thoughts as “catastrophic,” and as long as they continue to believe that such thinking holds truth, they will continue to be distressed and to practice avoidance and/or ritual behaviours
• according to cognitive theory, people who attach exaggerated danger to their thoughts do so because of false beliefs learned earlier in life

Question 3

what beliefs do researchers think may be important in the development and maintenance of obsessions?

Answer 3

• ”exaggerated responsibility”, or belief that one is responsible for preventing misfortunes or harm to others
• belief that certain thoughts are very important and should be controlled
• belief that somehow having a thought or an urge to do something will increase chances that it will come true
• tendency to overestimate likelihood of danger belief that one should always be perfect and that mistakes are unacceptable

Question 4

how do people come to fear their own thoughts?

Answer 4

• usually attempt to neutralise feelings that arise from their thoughts
• one way this is done is by avoiding situations that might spark such thoughts
• another way is by engaging in rituals
• anxiety produced by thoughts leads to compulsive behaviours seen in ocd

Question 5

lack of confidence in memory and ocd

Answer 5

• cognitive theory can explain OCD as being due to lack of confidence in memory
• Sher et al 1989 found that people with OCD had poor memories for their actions, e.g., they really could not remember if they has turned the light off
• in addition, Trivedi 1996 found people suffering from ocd had low confidence in their memory ability and their non-verbal memory was impaired
• Woods et al 2002 conducted meta-analysis of studies that aimed to test how memory relates to checking and found that those suffering from OCD had slightly worse memory for recalling stimuli that had been presented by more crucially
• felt that their memory was inadequate compared to those who do not have ocd

Question 6

hypervigilance and ocd

Answer 6

• another way cognitive theory can explain ocd is that sufferers may be hypervigilant (Williams et al 1997)
• hypervigilance means that they have an attentional bias which means they are overly sensitive to threat
• seen where they may use rapid eye movements to scan environment, and they may attend basis of their obsessions
• compulsive behaviours are designed to reduce anxiety
• Rahman 2004 reports case study showing that someone with ocd centred in blood could, due to hypervigilance, recall all the times in the past that she had come into contact with blood