A GoodTherapy.org News Headline

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental health concern that can create havoc in the lives of those who experience its symptoms, and the individual manifestations of the issue may vary greatly from one person to the next. The consequences tend to be similar, however; difficulty carrying out daily life, problematic relationships, and concerns at work are common themes. A study performed in India has identified average ages for the onset of OCD, noting that men experience early symptoms before their twentieth year, while women tend to notice similar issues later into their twenties. The difference may impact the professional and social prospects of men who struggle with the issue.

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Ann Arbor Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Headline

Typically, those who experience strong compulsions to perform certain tasks or routines repeatedly with concerns about the perceived consequences of not doing so are associated with obsessive compulsive disorder, a mental health issue that can become debilitating for some people. This issue has traditionally been classified as relating to health concerns involving anxiety, but a review carried out at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill suggests that OCD may stem from purely biological causes. While the review is far from being conclusive, it notes that a combination of treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and cognitive behavioral therapy is most promising for modern recovery.

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Simi Valley Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Headline

While the effects, for both clients and their families, of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD can have far-reaching consequences that greatly impact elements of everyday life, many who grapple with the mental health concern remain untreated, even during the normal course of therapy. In an effort to deliver specialized care from professionals and peers alike, the annual Obsessive Compulsive Foundation’s conference is set to stage another empowering event. The conference will include keynote speeches as well as several therapeutic activities, such as a fashion show focusing on mis-matched buttons and messy hairdos for those focused on keeping a meticulous appearance, and a trashcan touching and hugging session for clients with debilitating aversions to germs. The conference, which has enjoyed a fair measure of success in the past, hopes to continue to grow and reach more people affected by the mental health concern.

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Allen Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Update

For many therapists and other mental health professionals, the symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, are fairly clear. But for parents of children who suffer from related difficulties, it’s not always a straightforward matter to distinguish between positive and unhelpful behaviors, and sometimes parents’ efforts to help their children can have the opposite effect. Validating the behaviors associated with OCD is a common, and often unintentional, result of parents’ reactions to their children’s symptoms. But through consultation with a mental health professional and a better understanding of how OCD tends to work, parents can provide the care they seek to bestow upon their children without worsening symptoms.

A study recently published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology has revealed that a large number of families engage in what the study terms as “accommodations,” which typically take place when parents wish to soothe upset over a particular worry or concern experienced by a child. Such accommodations can include assistance in carrying out obsessive rituals, or the verbal assurance of certain conditions about which the child is worried. Read the rest of this entry

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Sacramento Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Update

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a condition fairly well known among mental health professionals and the psychologically-minded public at large. Yet as with so many things, there exist extreme departures from what we’d normally envision of a person afflicted with OCD –and the co-author of a recently released book on the subject is an excellent example. The man, who suffered from the disorder for most of his life, had developed extreme rituals that kept him from leaving his house or carrying out the vast majority of daily tasks; he became unable to bathe himself and spent hours each day carrying out elaborate counting and organizing rituals. That is, until he met the man who would help him triumph over his condition: his psychotherapist.

The two met after the afflicted man’s family called for help, and the psychotherapist, a renowned expert on OCD at the Harvard Medical School, drove three hours to meet and assess the man –and the mind– that would occupy his professional efforts for years to come. That initial meeting was difficult; the young man had developed strict rules for what actions could be taken in his home or around his person, yet psychologist and client were eventually able to find common ground. Read the rest of this entry

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Mill Valley Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Update

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, is a condition that affects some one to three percent of the American population. Most commonly associated with intrusive thoughts, unrealistic fears, and a repetitive behavior of some type, OCD can be a debilitating condition for people in all professions and in all walks of life, detracting from everything from family and romantic relationships to daily productivity and self-expression. While the overt symptoms of the disorder are somewhat widely known, one fact about OCD in particular tends to stay hidden: at least eighty percent of cases begin in childhood. These early instances of OCD can have a major impact on a child’s quality of life, and the search for causes –and improved treatment– for the condition has been in full swing for quite some time.

Recently, a major development in this search occurred for a collaborative team hailing from Wayne State University, the University of Michigan, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, the University of Toronto, and the Hospital for Sick Kids in Toronto, Ontario. A remarkably large and diverse set of mental health professionals, the team sought to identify possible chemical indications for OCD in children. Using a combination of brain imaging and genetic studies, the researchers were able to isolate the chemical glutamate, as they reported in the
March issue of Brain Imaging and Behavior. David Rosenberg, a lead authority in the research, explains that glutamate helps to regulate the brain’s production of and access to serotonin and other neurotransmitters, and that an excess of this chemical logically has an adverse effect on the brain’s operation. The study is likely to have a significant impact on treatment methods for OCD, incorporating new glutamate-conscious medicines, which can be helpful in combination with effective psychotherapy.

© Copyright 2009 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Silver Spring Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

A GoodTherapy.org News Update Presented by Daniel Brezenoff, LCSW

Researchers at Brown University in Rhode Island are reporting that children as young as four can meet criteria for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). This condition, associated with anxiety, has been studied in older children and adolescents, but this new study was the largest ever study of OCD in preschool age.

“OCD, if left untreated, can significantly disrupt a child’s growth and development and can worsen as the child gets older,” said Abbe Garcia, PhD, director of the Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center (BHCRC) Pediatric Anxiety Research Clinic at Brown, and chief author of the new study. “[E]arly diagnosis and intervention are critical to reducing the severity of symptoms and improving quality of life.” Read the rest of this entry

By Jolyn Wells-Moran, PhD, MSW

Click here to contact Jolyn and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that can cause significant damage to the sufferer’s life. OCD begins with obsessive thoughts. These lead to the development of behaviors meant to control the thoughts. The behaviors then become compulsive rituals. The person feels strongly compelled to perform the rituals in response to the disturbing thoughts, even though relief may be very short-lived. Serious trouble with relationships, self-confidence, depression, quality of life and, perhaps, a related or other disorder in addition to the OCD, often accompany the disorder. OCD can make life a non-productive, empty, frustrating and lonely endeavor. There is evidence that OCD is caused by a brain dysfunction and that the most effective treatment is a combination of an antidepressant and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Read the rest of this entry