Purely Obsessional Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
(Pure O OCD) is a type of OCD in which a sufferer engages in repeated, intrusive,
and uncontrollable thoughts (or obsessions) that are usually not accompanied by
outward behavioral compulsions. Instead of fighting
their intrusive thoughts with visible rituals such as hand-washing, counting, or
arranging, they perform hidden repetitive, mental rituals to minimize
stress.
Pure O OCD is sometimes mistakenly seen as a less severe form of
OCD. Because of the hidden nature of the
disorder, Pure O OCD is extremely distressing and challenging to treat. Many
sufferers go years without seeking help or opening up to loved ones. Symptoms
of Pure O OCD vary greatly from person to person. The topics of people’s
intrusive thoughts tend to fall within certain themes: sexuality,
responsibility, violence, faith, health, or romance. People who experience
Pure O OCD experience a range
of symptoms. Obsessions involve:
·
Repeated intrusive images, thoughts, and
impulses that create a great deal of distress
·
Thoughts that are not related to excess
worries and stress in real life
·
Recognition that these thoughts arise
from within the individual's own mind
·
Making attempts to ignore, suppress, or
neutralize the obsessive thoughts
Compulsions involve:
·
Repetitive actions, either behavioral or
mental, that a person feels compelled to perform as a result of obsessive
thoughts
·
Engaging in actions intended to reduce
distress related to the obsessions
Treatment
for Pure O OCD often involves the use of medication in combination with psychotherapy, which may include Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, support groups, and
psychological education.
·
Medications They may include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or the tricyclic antidepressant Clomipramine. Some side effects associated with the
use of SSRIs include insomnia, anxiety, gastrointestinal upset, and sleepiness.
Approximately 40 to 60 percent of patients respond to treatment with SSRIs with
a 20 to 40 percent reduction in OCD symptoms.
·
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Research
suggests that CBT can be very effective at treating Pure O
OCD. However, it is essential that therapists and
other mental health practitioners understand the necessity to also address the
underlying mental rituals that characterize this subtype of symptoms. If the
therapist believes that the patient only suffers from obsessions and does not
also treat the mental rituals that accompany these cognitions, the treatment
will not be as effective.
o
Exposure and Response Prevention
Therapy (ERP therapy)
is a form of CBT and exposure therapy. With the help of a trained
therapist, a patient intentionally exposes themselves to the objects, images,
situations, or thoughts that make them anxious or that are the subject of their
obsessions. They are prevented from engaging in the compulsive behavior that
typically follows these events. The goal of such therapy is to help patients
learn how to effectively manage their symptoms without having to resort to
acting upon compulsions in order to relieve mental distress.
“The very fact that these scary
thoughts cause anxiety means that I don’t want to act on those thoughts, and at
the same time a thought only has the power that you give it.” (Hannah
R. Goodman)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“Living with Pure OCD” by Intrusive Thoughts
· “Primarily Obsessional OCD Symptoms and Treatments” By
Kendra Cherry
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