W5: Obsessive-compulsive & Related Disorders Flashcards
What are obsessions?
Recurrent and unwanted thoughts, images, urges, or doubts that are distressing to the individual
(Thought processes)
What are compulsions?
Repetitive and time consuming mental or overt behaviours that serve to reduce the anxiety/distress caused by the obsessions
Objective: reduce stress
What is OCD characterised by?
Obsessions and compulsions
What does the DSM say about OCD?
The presence of obsessions, compulsions or both
- Obsessions a recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges or images that cause marked anxiety or distress the individual attempts to ignore or suppress these or to neutralise them with some other thought or action
- Compulsions a repetitive behaviours or mental acts that the individual performance aimed at preventing or reducing anxiety or distress or some dreaded event or situation
Obsessions and compulsions must be time consuming and cause significant distress or impairment
Not due to a substance or medical condition or another mental disorder
What is the prevalence of OCD in Australia
2%
When is the typical onset of OCD
Adolescence to early adult hood most develop symptoms by the age of 20
Are there any gender differences in OCD
No there are no gender differences but males are more likely to have childhood onset
What are some types of obsessions and associated compulsions
Cleaning and contamination
Forbidden thoughts or actions
Symmetry
Explain cleaning and contamination obsessions and compulsions
They generally have concerns with dirt or germs bodily waste or contracting a disease as well as environmental contaminants such as lead asbestos or chemicals
Generally perform excessive washing of hands body and environment. May use safety behaviours to encounter feared items such as wearing gloves, using paper towel to touch things and lots of avoidance
Explain the forbidden thoughts or actions type of Obsession and associated compulsions
Intrusive or impulsive thoughts that relate to saying or doing something socially inappropriate, often violent, religious, or sexual in nature
People with this type of obsession often engage in mental ritual such a saying a prayer, reassuring themselves that they are not a bad person, trying to figure out what they would act on the thoughts or whether it was true
Commonly associated with repeating and checking behaviours
Explain the symmetry obsession and associated compulsion
A persistent desire to have objects aligned or actions performed perfectly
They generally have some thoughts about things needing to be a certain way
some have a sense of incompleteness if it is not done this way but others has a fear that something bad will happen
Order and arrange things in a symmetrical ordered fashion may also occur in needing things to be even example if you touch something with your right hand you need to touch it with your left hand too
Which part of the brains to individuals with OCD tend to have a dysfunction in
And over activation in the orbitofrontal cortex, caudate nucleus, anterior cingulate cortex
Which neurotransmitters are involved in OCD
Dopamine and serotonin
What is the OCCWG cognitive model of OCD
Model considers that there are six main cognitive bias is in OCD that maintain symptoms:
Inflated responsibility
Over importance of thoughts so they think they’re more meaningful than they are
Over importance of controlling one’s thoughts
Over estimation of threat which leads to hypervigilance
Intolerance of uncertainty
High levels of perfectionism
What are some controversies surrounding OCD diagnosis
You can be diagnosed with either obsessions or compulsions but the link between them is what is important and differentiates between OCD and things like repetitive behaviours in autistic disorders and compulsive behaviours in impulse control disorders
What is body dysmorphic disorder
A preoccupation with a perceived deficit in physical appearance
Areas of concern often include the face, arms, skin, body hair, breast, muscles
How is body dysmorphic disorder compulsive
They engage in compulsive behaviours to reduce concerns such as checking the mirror or mirror avoidance, measuring body parts, seeking reassurance from others about the body part, camouflaging an area of concern, comparing appearance with others
What does the DSM say for body dysmorphic disorder
Preoccupation with one or more physical deficits or flaws in physical appearance that is not observable or appear slight to others
At some point the individual has performed repetitive behaviours or mental acts in response to the appearance concerns
The preoccupation causes clinically significant distress or impairment and it is not better explained by body fat or weight in an individual who symptoms meet diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder
What is the prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder
2%
When is the typical onset of body dysmorphic disorder
Late adolescence
Are there any gender differences in body dysmorphic disorder
More common in females