Effective psychological treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

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

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

Psychologist M.ª José Polo Carrillo from the Málaga Psychologists PsicoAbreu office affirms that, in response to these fears, the person begins to perform repetitive actions in the form of compulsive rituals that are beyond your control. These compulsions momentarily relieve the anxiety and worry caused by the obsessive ideas until Anxiety gradually rises again, thus forming a vicious circle from which it is very difficult to get out.

• Related article: "Types of Anxiety Disorders and their characteristics"

Causes of OCD

Although the causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder cannot yet be determined, factors are known that could explain its appearance. The disease is known to affect men and women equally.

and often begins in adolescence. It is not ruled out that its first symptoms also manifest in early adulthood. In many cases there are genetic factors that precipitate its further development, and in other cases the trigger is a stressful event such as trauma, death of a family member, separation, etc.

Some efficacy of serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants is observed in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and this suggests that it may be due to an alteration of the serotonin levels, which is the neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood, aggressiveness and impulsiveness.

symptomatology

The symptoms of OCD vary depending on the type of behavioral patterns that are reproduced. Let's 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 conscientiousness, forbidden thoughts, aggressive ideas, 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 doors are closed, lights turned off, water current turned off, 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

Considering the nature of the obsessive thinking of the person suffering from OCD, the following categories have been established.

1. testers

run repetitive actions to make sure all is well. For example, they make sure 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

This people they need things to have a rigid distribution and symmetry. The obsessive idea revolves around the idea of ​​perfection, but this perfectionism is pathological, since the moment in which the person is satisfied never ends up arriving.

4. washers

Your attention and concerns are focused on hygiene, so they are obsessed with real or hypothetical dirt. Also, some believe they have a disease.

5. sexual

They tend to have recurring sexual thoughts and behaviors.

6. with excessive responsibility

This people They say they always have to do the right thing and in specific circumstances.

7. with magical thinking

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

For example, a person may think that if he doesn't always do things the same way, that may lead to triggering an illness, an accident or something serious both for him and for one of his relatives.

8. accountants

They present the need to count: cars, numbers, windows, etc.

9. hypochondriacs

They are defined by believing they have a disease and constantly going to doctors, taking tests, looking for information on the internet, forums, etc.

OCD Treatment

In the treatment of this anxiety disorder, medication is useful to alleviate the symptoms, reducing the frequency and intensity, but the treatment is always will have to be combined with specialized psychological therapy.

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

For example, in the Malaga cabinet Psychologists Malaga PsicoAbreu who has more than 24 years of experience in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, works with different Psychological tools and techniques to help the person with OCD in their treatment, including therapy mentioned.

The person with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder must understand that You must be constant and responsible in your treatment, both in following the medication guidelines prescribed by the medical practitioner, and in learning and reproducing the strategies learned in psychotherapy sessions, For this, it is essential to have the help of a specialist psychologist to guide any doubts that may arise throughout the psychological treatment from start to finish. end.