Effective Psychological Treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Let's take a look at what this anxiety disorder is, how it manifests itself and how it can be treated in therapy.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a psychological disorder belonging to the group of anxiety disorders. belonging to the group of anxiety disorders. It is a relatively common problem that is thought to affect 2% of people.

OCD is characterized by invasive, repeated and insistent thoughts that cause distress or states of uneasiness such as restlessness, worry, fear and anxiety.

The Psychologist M.ª José Polo Carrillo of the cabinet Psychologists Malaga PsicoAbreu says that, in response to these fears, the person begins to perform repetitive actions in the form of compulsive rituals that are beyond their control. that escape their control. These compulsions alleviate momentarily the anxiety and worry caused by the obsessive ideas until the anxiety returns to rise progressively, thus forming a vicious circle of which it is very difficult to leave.

Causes of OCD

Although the causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder cannot yet be pinpointed, there are known factors that could explain its onset. It is known that the disease affects men and women equally and that it often begins in adolescence. and that it frequently begins in adolescence. It is not ruled out that its first symptoms may also appear in early adulthood. In many cases there are genetic factors that precipitate its later development, and in other cases the trigger is a stressful event such as trauma, death of a family member, separation, etc.

A certain efficacy of serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants has been observed in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and this suggests that this may be due to an alteration of serotonin levels, which is the neurotransmitter responsible for the regulation of mood, aggressiveness and impulsivity.

Symptomatology

The symptoms of OCD vary according to the type of behavioral patterns that are reproduced.. Let us see what are the main categories that serve to group these symptoms (and that usually occur at the same time in the same person).

Cognitive

Obsessions that revolve around scrupulousness, forbidden thoughts, aggressive ideas, fear of causing harm to others, fear of causing harm to others, fear of causing harm to others, fear of causing harm to others.fear of causing harm to others, ideas of sexual content, seeking symmetry in everything, fear of contamination.

Behavioral

Compulsions or repetitive actions that have to do with behaviors such as making sure you have locked doors, turned off lights, turned off the water supply, etc. Or behaviors such as washing, tidying things up, touching certain things or touching them in a certain way, counting, etc.

Categories: types of patients

Based on the nature of the obsessive thinking of the OCD sufferer, the following categories have been established.

1. Testers

They perform repetitive actions to make sure that everything is all right.. For example, they make sure that they have turned off the light, closed the door, etc.

2. Collectors

They keep objects without knowing how to get rid of them.

3. Computers

These people need things to have a rigid and symmetrical distribution.. The obsessive idea revolves around the idea of perfection, but this perfectionism is pathological, since the time never comes when the person is satisfied.

4. Washers

Their attention and concerns are focused on hygiene, so they are obsessed with real or hypothetical dirt.They are obsessed with real or hypothetical dirt. In addition, some believe they have a disease.

5. Sexual

They usually have recurrent sexual thoughts and behaviors.

6. With excessive responsibility

These people claim to always have to do the right thing and in specific circumstances.

7. With magical thinking

These people have unpleasant thoughts in which a certain action is related to disastrous consequences disastrous consequences that are objectively not linked to the above in any way..

For example, a person may think that if he does not do things in the same way all the time, it can lead to an illness, an accident or something serious for him or for one of his family members.

8. Counters

They present the need to countCars, numbers, windows, etc.

9. Hypochondriacs

They are defined by believing they have a disease and constantly go to doctors, take tests, search for information on the internet, forums, etc.

Treatment of OCD

In the treatment of this anxiety disorder, medication is useful to alleviate the symptomatology, decreasing the frequency and intensity, but the treatment must always be combined with specialized psychological therapy. should always be combined with a specialized psychological therapy..

Psychologist M.ª José Polo argues that one of the most commonly used techniques in the treatment of OCD is exposure and response prevention therapywhich help the patient to learn effective strategies to control obsessive thinking and reduce the behavior that causes disturbances in their daily life.

For example, in the cabinet Malagueño Psychologists Malaga PsicoAbreu that has more than 24 years of experience in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder works with different tools and psychological techniques to help the person with OCD in their treatment, among which are the aforementioned therapy.

The person with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder must understand that he/she must must be constant and responsible in their treatmentThe person with OCD must understand that he/she must be constant and responsible in his/her treatment, both in following the medication guidelines prescribed by the medical doctor, and in learning and reproducing the strategies learned in the psychotherapy sessions. For this, it is essential to have the help of a specialist psychologist to guide the doubts that may arise throughout the psychological treatment from start to finish.