characteristics

• what are the 3 emotional characteristics of OCD?

  • Anxiety and distress
  • accompanying depression
  • guilt and disgust
• explain anxiety and distress as being an emotional characteristic of OCD?

  the urge to repeat a behaviour creates overwhelming anxiety . obsessive thoughts are unpleasant and frightening
• explain accompanying depression as being an emotional characteristic of OCD??

  OCD is often comorbid with depression so there is also likely to be low mood and anhedonia (diverse array of deficits in hedomic function, including reduced motivation or ability to experience pleasure
• explain guilt and disgust as being an emotional characteristic of OCD?\?

  sometimes OCD involves emotions such as irrational guilt

  (eg over minor moral issues)

  or disgust which may be directed against something external like dirt or at the self
• what are the 3 cognitive characteristics of OCD?

  • obsessive thoughts
  • cognitive strategies to deal with obsessions
  • insight into excessive anxiety
• explain obsessive thoughts as being a cognitive characteristic of ocd?

  thoughts that recur over and over again.

  they vary from person to person but are always unpleasant and maladaptive (eg the door was unlocked)
• explain cogntive strategies to deal with obsessions as being a cognitive characteristic of ocd?

  eg a relgious person tormented with guilt may respond to praying or meditating. this may help the person but will look ABNORMAL to others
• explain insight into excessive anxiety as being a cognitive characteristic of ocd?

  OCD suffers are aware that their obsessions and compulsions are irrational

  OCD sufferers experience catastrophic thoughts about the worse case scenarios that might occur if their anxieties were justified
• give 4 behavioural characteristics of OCD?

  • unwelcome thoughts/images/urges/worries/doubts
  • compulsions are repetitive
  • compulsions reduce anxiety
  • avoidance
• explain unwelcome thoughts/images/etc as a behavioural characteristic of OCD?

  repeatedly appear in the mind. they can make sufferers feel very anxious or uncomfortable
• explain compulsions are repetivie as a behavioural characteristic of OCD?

  sufferers feel compelled to repeat behaviours eg tidying, praying
• explain compulsions reduce anxiety a behavioural characteristic of OCD?

  Compulsive hand washing is carried out ad a response to an obsessive fear of germs. therefore compulsions are seen to manage the sufferers anxiety
• explain AVOIDANCE as a behavioural characteristic of OCD?

  where sufferers attempt to reduce anxiety by staying away from potential triggers