OCD Basics
This disorder is defined by unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors.
What is OCD?
Fear of germs or getting sick is part of this theme.
What is contamination OCD?
True or False: OCD is just being neat or organized.
What is false?
These medications, also used for depression, are often prescribed for OCD.
What are SSRIs?
This involves intrusive, unwanted thoughts that cause anxiety and lead to repeated behaviors to reduce that anxiety.
OCD
These intrusive thoughts cause anxiety and drive compulsions.
What are obsessions?
Repeatedly making sure doors or appliances are off falls under this category.
What is checking OCD?
This personality disorder is often confused with OCD but is actually very different.
What is OCPD?
In ERP, the goal is to face the fear and do this—not perform the compulsion.
What is response prevention?
Repeatedly checking the stove for hours because of a fear your house will burn down, even though you know it’s off.
OCD
These repetitive actions (physical or mental) are done to reduce distress.
What are compulsions?
Needing objects to feel balanced, aligned, or “just right” is this OCD theme.
What is symmetry or “just-right” OCD?
People with OCD avoid certain triggers because they’re trying to prevent this.
What is anxiety or distress?
This therapy skill helps people challenge distorted thinking patterns.
What is cognitive restructuring?
Double-checking your alarm is set before bed because you don’t want to be late for work.
Not OCD.
This is the gold-standard therapy for OCD.
What is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)?
Intrusive fears of harming others, despite having no desire to do so, fall under this.
What is harm OCD?
True or False: Intrusive thoughts reflect a person’s true desires.
What is false?
Patients gradually face feared situations using this type of ladder-like plan.
What is an exposure hierarchy?
Liking your desk neat and feeling satisfied when it’s organized.
Not OCD
This term describes when OCD takes up over an hour a day and interferes with life.
What is clinically significant impairment?
Repetitive internal counting or mental reviewing are examples of this subtype.
What are mental compulsions?
This phrase describes OCD with no visible compulsions.
What is Pure O (primarily obsessional OCD)?
This term describes the long-term tool of accepting discomfort instead of eliminating it.
What is tolerance or distress tolerance?
Preferring to wash your hands after touching public surfaces because it feels gross, but stopping once your hands are clean.
Not OCD