Helping someone deal with OCD |
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Posted Date: 6/30/2009 |
Blog by: poost |
Viewed: 101
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Category: Mental Health Disorders » Obsessive Compulsive Disorder/OCD |
There are three main aspects of helping someone deal with OCD. These are psychological, physical help and then there is the last resort of psychosurgery as well.
First, the psychotherapy, a behavior therapy that is particularly effective for rituals is response prevention. Individuals are instructed to carry out their rituals. There is an initial rise in distress but with persistence both the rituals and the distress diminish. Person is encouraged to practice response prevention while returning to situations that normally make them worse. ‘Modeling’ involves the therapist demonstrating to the individual what is required and encouraging the person to follow this example. In case of hand-washing rituals, this might involve holding an allegedly contaminated object and carry out other activities without washing, the person being encouraged to follow suit. ‘Thought stopping’ can reduce obsessional ruminations. The individual is taught to arrest the obsessional thought by arranging a sudden intrusion eg: snapping an elastic band, clicking the fingers. Cognitive behavior therapy involves exposure to the provocative stimulus plus cognitive therapy. It explores the negative feelings of the person associated with OCD. These are negative view of current life experiences ex: the world is an awful place and needs reforming Or the negative view of the future is hopeless. These views can be corrected with the help of problem-solving therapy. The problems and fears are listed and defined then the most important is worked on. Possible solutions are listed, evaluated and the best one is chosen. It is tried out and results are evaluated. Thus this process goes on until all problems are resolved. Then comes the physical treatment which is in the form of drugs.
Anxiously drugs provide short-term symptomatic relief for over whelming anxiety on a short term basis. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the main stay of drug treatment. Their efficiency is independent of their antidepressant action three month treatment with high doses may be necessary for a positive response. Positive correlation between reduced severity of OCD and decreased orbitofrontal and caudate metabolism following behavioral and selective serotonin repuke inhibitors have been demonstrated in a number of studies. Coming tricyclics, clomipramine is the most commonly used. ‘Conditioning therapy’ suggests that compulsive rituals are classical conditioned avoidance responses which therefore lend themselves to treatment with graded exposure therapy. And last but not the least is the psychosurgery. Psychosurgery is we occasionally recommended in cases of chronic and severe OCD that’s has not responded other treatment. The development of stereo tactic techniques has held to the replacement of the earlier crude leucotomies with more precise surgical interventions such as sub caudate tractotomy and cingulotomy with small yttrium radioactive implants lesions in the cingulated area or the ventromedial quadrant of the frontal lobe.
And lastly, there should be proper communication with the person having obsessive compulsive disorder. Follow up therapies and sessions should be maintained. Proper checkup should be done and education about management should be regularly given including self help leaflets to prevent any relapses. Any drugs that have caused dependence during treatment should be gradually withdrawn causing any withdrawal symptoms and rehabilitative sessions should be encouraged to be joined.
There should be also supervised and graded exercise therapy for approx three months to reduce inactivity and improve fitness. Thus, all measures should be taken to help the individuals suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder. But it should be kept in mind these people should be helped and not shunned just because of their strong beliefs. Every human being has the right to express his feelings and have his own point of view about himself and his surroundings. These people shouldn’t be pitied upon and should be treated as normal people.
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