Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Treatment Options: Considerations for Embracing an Integrative Approach
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Treatment Options: Considerations for Embracing an Integrative Approach
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Issue Date
2022-09-11
Authors
Schamehorn, Tyler
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Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a condition that lowers the quality of life for those afflicted by causing compulsions to carry out behaviours that can interfere with everyday functioning. This disorder is lifelong for many people and common treatments only typically help manage their behaviours and anxieties. Counselling interventions commonly include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques, primarily exposure and response prevention. However, this treatment does not always lead clients into remission and their overall quality of life may still be poor. This paper provides a review of alternative treatments for OCD in the literature and discusses their efficacy. There are other modalities such as psychodynamic therapy, narrative therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy that have research to back up their effectiveness for OCD, though the common theme from these modalities is that they work well in an integrative model with CBT. The implications of the literature review, in addition to an interview with a clinician that currently practices therapy with OCD clients in an integrative manner, suggest that exposure and response therapy should be involved in treatment, while including other interventions that are advised by the clinician's case conceptualization while building the relationship with the client. If a client's needs are attended to in an intentional manner while working to eliminate compulsive behaviours through exposure and response prevention, better treatment outcomes can be achieved and quality of life can improve.
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Keywords
obsessive-compulsive disorder , integrative therapy , exposure and response prevention , case conceptualization
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States , openAccess