OCD

Question 1

What is OCD?

Answer 1

Characterised by a person’s obsessions (what their thoughts focus on) and compulsions (behaviours/thoughts carried out).
Person feels driven to compulsions by their obsession, and often are rules that they feel must be done to remove anxiety linked to obsession.

Question 2

What are the 4 behavioural characteristics to OCD ( explain ) ?

Answer 2

Compulsions - repetitive behaviours the person feels they have to do, e.g hand washing constantly to avoid contamination. Helps to reduce anxiety.
Panic attack - occurs when obsessive thoughts aren’t controlled, these include crying, running away or shouting.
Avoidance - going out of their way to purposely avoid a situational trigger
Covert compulsions - non-physical, can be like praying/ saying a mantra

Question 3

What are the three ( four ) emotional characteristics to OCD? ( explain )

Answer 3

Anxiety - an unpleasant state of emotional arousal
Embarrassment and shame - Person realises their behaviour is abnormal and feels guilty over their need to carry out behaviour/ compulsions
Disgust - Where the person thinks something about themselves/ someone else is disgusting
Depression is also an accompanying trait

Question 4

What are the 3 cognitive characteristics to OCD? ( explain )

Answer 4

Obsessive thoughts - majority of OCD patients, 90%, experience these e.g thoughts of a loved one dying, but will differ in people.
Awareness of the thoughts being irrational - Patient is aware of how excessive their obsessions/ compulsions are but feel like they cannot stop them.
Hyper-vigilance - Being on the constant lookout for any triggers of OCD, find it hard to redirect attention.