1. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder psychlotron.org.uk

3. Diagnosis Obsessions intrusive thoughts, impulses or images Compulsions Repetitive/ritualistic behaviours or mental acts Distressing, time consuming, interferes with normal functioning Usually recognised as irrational psychlotron.org.uk

4. Diagnosis 2.6% lifetime prevalence Obsessions often contamination, illness, aggression, sex, symmetry Compulsions often washing, ritualistic behaviour Multiple obsessions in 60% of cases Continuous with normal behaviour (degree rather than kind) psychlotron.org.uk

5. Explanations & treatments Biological Genes, structural brain abnormality, neurochemical processes Drugs, surgery Psychodynamic Unconscious processes, childhood experiences Psychotherapy (catharsis) psychlotron.org.uk

6. Explanations & treatments Behaviourist Classical and operant conditioning Desensitisation, deconditioning Cognitive Faulty thinking & ineffective information processing Altering thinking processes (CBT) psychlotron.org.uk

7. Biological approach Tends to run in families Often accompanies other brain insult (e.g. encephalitis) or neurological problem (e.g. Tourette’s syndrome) Responds to serotoninergic drug treatment psychlotron.org.uk

8. Psychodynamic approach Associated with fixation at anal stage of development (Freud) or feelings of inferiority (Adler) Clinical case study evidence psychlotron.org.uk

9. Behaviourist approach Obsessions are learned anxieties; compulsions are reinforced through anxiety reduction ‘Superstitious’ behaviour – unrelated to consequences – easy to observe in animals and humans psychlotron.org.uk

10. Cognitive Approach Paradoxical effect of trying to suppress particular thoughts (e.g. the blue rocking horse) Belief that certain thoughts are unacceptable is a risk factor Memory failure (‘did I really turn the gas off?’) psychlotron.org.uk

11. Treatments 60% patients improve with SSRIs moderate gains; frequent relapse Exposure & response prevention (ERP) is more effective Flooding (behavioural); forced reality testing (cognitive) Neurosurgery (cingulotomy) may be effective as a last resort psychlotron.org.uk