Psychopathology- Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD) Flashcards
OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) -
A condition characterised by obsessions and/or compulsive behaviour.
Behavioural -
Ways in which people act.
Emotional -
Ways in which people feel.
Cognitive -
Ways in which people process information, including perception, attention and thinking.
What does the DSM system recognise regarding OCD and related disorders?
The DSM system recognises OCD and a range of related disorders, all of which have in common repetitive behaviour accompanied by obsessive thinking.
What is OCD?
OCD is characterised by either obsessions (recurring thoughts, images, etc.) and/or compulsions (repetitive behaviours such as hand washing). Most people with OCD have both obsessions and compulsions.
What is trichotillomania?
Trichotillomania is compulsive hair pulling.
What is hoarding disorder?
Hoarding disorder involves the compulsive gathering of possessions and the inability to part with anything, regardless of its value.
What is excoriation disorder?
Excoriation disorder is compulsive skin picking.
What are the behavioural characteristics of OCD?
The behavioural characteristics of OCD include compulsions, avoidance, and compulsive actions related to reducing anxiety.
What is the compulsive behaviour in OCD?
Compulsions are repetitive behaviours that sufferers feel compelled to perform. Examples include hand washing, counting, praying, and tidying objects.
How are compulsions related to anxiety in OCD?
Compulsions reduce anxiety. Around 10% of OCD sufferers experience compulsive behaviour alone, without obsessions, but most perform compulsions to manage the anxiety created by their obsessions. For example, compulsive hand washing relieves the anxiety caused by an obsession with germs.
Are compulsions always performed in response to obsessions in OCD?
No, around 10% of OCD sufferers show compulsive behaviour alone, without any obsessions, and these behaviours are done to relieve a general sense of anxiety.
What is avoidance behaviour in OCD?
Sufferers of OCD may avoid situations that trigger their anxiety. For example, someone who washes compulsively may avoid coming into contact with germs, which can lead them to avoid everyday tasks like emptying rubbish bins, disrupting normal life.
What emotional characteristics are seen in OCD?
Emotional characteristics of OCD include anxiety, distress, accompanying depression, guilt, and disgust.
How does anxiety affect people with OCD?
OCD is emotionally unpleasant due to the anxiety that accompanies both obsessions and compulsions. Obsessive thoughts are frightening, and the compulsions create additional anxiety as sufferers feel driven to perform them.
What role does depression play in OCD?
OCD is often accompanied by depression. Sufferers may experience low mood, lack of enjoyment in activities, and their compulsions may bring temporary relief from anxiety but do not resolve underlying depressive feelings.
What is the role of guilt and disgust in OCD?
In addition to anxiety and depression, OCD can involve irrational guilt, for example, over minor moral issues. It may also include disgust, which can be directed toward external things (like dirt) or toward the self.
What cognitive characteristics are present in OCD?
The cognitive characteristics of OCD include obsessive thoughts, cognitive strategies to deal with those thoughts, and insight into the excessive anxiety caused by their condition.
What are obsessive thoughts in OCD?
Obsessive thoughts are recurring, unpleasant thoughts that occur in about 90% of OCD sufferers. These thoughts can be about contamination (such as germs), fears of intruders, or violent impulses, and they often cause great distress.
How do people with OCD deal with obsessive thoughts?
People with OCD often adopt cognitive strategies like praying, meditating, or engaging in rituals to manage their obsessive thoughts. These strategies can temporarily alleviate anxiety but may make them appear abnormal to others and interfere with normal life.
How aware are people with OCD of their thoughts and behaviours?
People suffering from OCD are usually aware that their obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours are irrational, which is necessary for the diagnosis. However, they still experience catastrophic thoughts about worst-case scenarios if their anxieties were justified, and they remain hypervigilant, focusing their attention on potential hazards.
