Getting A Handle On OCD

“Bernice’s OCD began shortly after the death of her father. Since then, it had waxed and waned and currently, was as severe as it had ever been.

Bernice was obsessed with a fear of contamination, a fear she vaguely linked to her father’s death from pneumonia. Although she reported that she was afraid of nearly everything, because germs could be anywhere, she was particularly upset by touching wood and other ‘scratchy objects’. She was unable to state why these particular objects were sources of possible contamination.

Bernice tried to reduce her discomfort by engaging in compulsive rituals that took up almost all her waking hours. She spent three to four hours in the morning in the bathroom, washing and rewashing herself. Between baths, she scraped away the outside layer of her bar of soap so that it would be totally free of germs. Mealtimes also lasted for hours, as Bernice performed her rituals–eating three bites of food at a time, chewing each mouthful 300 times. These steps were meant magically to decontaminate her food. Even Bernice’s husband was sometimes involved in these mealtimes ceremonies, shaking a teakettle and frozen vegetables over her head to remove the germs. Bernice’s rituals and fear of contamination had reduced her life to doing almost nothing else. She would not leave the house, do housework, or even talk on the telephone,” (Davidson, Neale, Blankstein, Flett, 2002).

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder in which the mind is flooded with persistent and what seems to be uncontrollable thoughts. An individual is compelled to repeat certain tasks which causes great distress and interference with everyday functioning.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder can be treated effectively if the treatment plan is performed in a consistent, logical and supportive manner. A person in treatment will come to realize that the fear, anxiety and all other difficult symptoms associated with an obsessive-compulsive routine can decrease and pass over time. As well, the feelings associated with OCD do not cause personal harm. This can be very difficult for a person with OCD to grasp without treatment. This person may hold on to these compulsive behaviours because it is the only way he/she has been able to cope with their obsessive thoughts, impulses and feelings. This coping mechanism, however, only provides temporary reduction of unpleasant feelings and can worsen and increase if continued. Like the story of Bernice, we come to realize how her OCD is interfering with her life as well as her husband’s.

Here are a couple key points to know about treating OCD – 
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: CBT helps people recognize the connection between thoughts, feelings and associated impulses or behaviours. Narrative theory helps people reexamine their story (i.e., a significant event in the person’s life, like Bernice’s father passing, can inform about the when and how these thoughts and behaviours initially developed) as it is related to the troubling behaviour and identify cognitive shifts helpful in changing both the narrative and, thus, the emotions and behaviours.

Behavioural contracting and changes may also be used in therapy. An agreement that compulsive behaviours will be reduced and eventually not be performed is an effective step toward reducing these behaviours. Exposure therapy and systematic desensitization approaches set in place the gradual exposure to the fear and anxiety provoking stimulus, in a safe and progressive manner, that sets the person up for success in reducing the emotional impact and related behaviours.

The combination of approaches right for each person may vary . It is important for people to connect with, negotiate changes with and work closely with a professional, registered therapist. There is no suggested or ideal length of treatment as it depends on the individual’s unique needs and goals. With consistent effort in treatment, people struggling with OCD can see progress and be able to celebrate successes.

Call us today to get more information on treating OCD, and learn how to support family members with this OCD as well.