Aug 1 2007
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) can be a nightmare. People with the condition may find it hard to work, hard to maintain relationships, and even hard to leave the house, because of the time and effort involved in dealing with their compulsions.
People with OCD can have a number of different compulsions but-the need to wash repeatedly and the need to check things over and over again are very commonly experienced by people with this condition. The need to check shows up in different ways - the need to repeatedly check the door is locked, or the iron is turned off, or that they have filled in a form correctly. In whatever form, it can interfere significantly with a person's life.
An innovative new psychological treatment program for OCD checking has been developed by researchers at the University of Sydney, Dr Mairwen Jones, Associate Professor Ross Menzies and PhD student Lisa Vacarro. The cognitive therapy treatment targets the faulty thinking that people with this condition commonly have in regard to their fear that bad things will happen if they don't check over and over again. For example, they may fear that they have left the iron on causing a fire, or they have left a window open and a burglar will enter their house and steal all their belongings. The team from the University of Sydney's Anxiety Disorders Clinic are keen to trial this program with people with OCD who are compulsive checkers.
Dr Mairwen Jones, a senior lecturer in psychology and consultant to the clinic, says the effectiveness of this novel therapy will be compared with the effectiveness of existing psychological treatments commonly used in the treatment of this condition. ''OCD causes significant disability for those with the condition, and it also affects their significant others,'' she says. ''We are dedicated to improving treatment options for people with OCD.''
For further information about the study or how to take part in the trial, please contact Lisa Vacarro on 9036 7307.