Becky & Shawnee
What is OCD?
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Is an anxiety disorder that effects 1-2% of the
population
They experience obsessions and
compulsions
Obsessions – unwanted thoughts, images or
impulses that cause a lot of stress and anxiety
Compulsions – are behaviours or acts that
are carried out to reduce the anxiety
What is OCD?
OCD can be different from person to
person
 Some cases of OCD can not be treated
as well as others
 OCD affects every part of a person's life
 Can occur at any age but often before
the age of 40
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Causes of OCD
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Behavioural Theory - Suggests that people
with OCD associate certain objects or
situations with fear, and that they learn to
avoid the things they fear or to perform rituals
that help reduce the fear
Cognitive Theory - The cognitive theory
focuses on how people with OCD misinterpret
their thoughts and feelings
Causes of OCD
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Genetics
 Often runs in the family (half of the recorded cases
show this pattern)
 Research studies report that parents, siblings and
children of a person with OCD have a greater
chance of developing OCD than someone with no
family history of the disorder.
 A commonly asked question is if OCD can be
learned by another person
 Researchers have looked for certain genes that may
be linked to OCD, but have not been able to find
any
 It is believed, however there may be genes that are
involved in regulating serotonin, and passed on
through the generations.
Causes of OCD
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Serotonin
 Research have revealed a link between OCD and
insufficient levels of a brain chemical called
serotonin.
 Serotonin is one of the brain's chemical messengers
that transmit signals between the brain cells.
 Serotonin plays a role in the regulation of mood,
aggression, impulse control, sleep, appetite, body
temperature and pain.
 All of the medications used to treat OCD raise the
levels of serotonin available to transmit messages.
Symptoms
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Obsessions
Contamination
Repeated Doubting
Ordering
Religious
Aggressive
Sexual
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Compulsions
Cleaning/Washing
Checking
Arranging/Ordering
Hoarding
Exposure and Response
Prevention (ERP)
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The most widely practised behaviour therapy
for OCD is called exposure and response
prevention
There are two components:
 Exposure Treatment
 Response Prevention Treatment
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Treatment starts with exposure to situations
that cause the least anxiety
As the patient overcomes these, they move on
to situations that cause more anxiety
ERP
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Exposure Treatment
 Controlled exposure (direct or imagined) to
objects or situations that trigger obsessions
while raising anxiety levels
 Over time the exposure leads to less anxiety
and over a long period of time it leads to
very little anxiety at all
ERP
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Response Prevention Treatment
 The ritual behaviours that people with OCD
engage in to reduce anxiety
 Patients learn to resist the compulsion to
perform rituals and are eventually able to
stop engaging in these behaviours
Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors SRI
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Type of antidepressant
Main function is to increase levels of serotonin
in the brain
Take one a day
Doses can change as time goes on
Over time, OCD becomes less intense and
happens less often
SRI
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SRIs won’t always work for everyone
Not uncommon for someone to try 2 or 3 SRI
drugs before finding one that works best
Most people try at least 3 SRI drugs before
considering other types of medication
Other Medications
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Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors
 The monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
are effective antidepressants
 The two MAOIs available are phenelzine
(Nardil) and tranylcipramine (Parnate). Both
are less effective against obsession than
SRI’s, and both have more complicated
side-effects
 The MAOIs are used to treat OCD only
when SRI medications fail
Recovery
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Therapy and medication only help the
symptoms of OCD
It often takes a person time to get back onto a
regular schedule
OCD may disrupt ability to function at work, in
social situations and in the family
Once the symptoms of OCD improve, and
after attempting to return to a normal life,
addressing the practical and emotional issues
can be difficult
Recovery
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OCD can lower a person's self-confidence,
making the person feel insecure and
vulnerable in situations that were once familiar
and comfortable
Can cause people to become dependent on
those around them
People are often surprised at how frightened
they are at the thought of being independent
and resuming their responsibilities
These reactions are a normal part of the
recovery
Recovery
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Recovery is a process
At first, the person should ease into familiar
activities with modest expectations.
Slowly take on responsibilities and build their
self-confidence.
Obsessive Compulsive
Personality Disorder (OCPD)
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The majority of people with OCPD do not have
OCD
These disorders are commonly confused
People with OCPD have personality traits
reflecting extreme perfectionism, indecision,
preoccupation with details and rules, and must
have things their way with family, friends and
colleagues
They are over-conscientious and show little
expression, affection or enjoyment with others
Conclusion
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In conclusion, OCD is a tough disorder to live
with. We all may think that OCD can have an
easy fix, and that it really isn’t that hard to live
with. But, the reality is that it is not, as it affects
almost every aspect of the persons life,
whether it be interactions with family or
friends, or simple everyday tasks that we all
take for granted.
Sources
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http://allpsych.com/disorders/dsm.html
http://www.cmha.ca/bins/content_page.asp?cid=3-94-95
http://www.ocdcanada.com/
http://www.anxietybc.com/resources/ocd.php
http://www.camh.net/About_Addiction_Mental_Health/Mental_Health_Inform
ation/OCD/index.html
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorderocd/index.shtml
http://anxiety.stjoes.ca/obsessive.htm
http://www.ocdontario.org/
http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/publications/factsheets/ocd