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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
'Pure O'
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
'Pure O'
by VLConlin, Jun 04, 2002 12:00AM
I have been diagnosed with OCD, specifically is seems I have what is classified as "pure O". I have horrible, intrusive thoughts without compulsive rituals which are managed by medications and therapy. I see where some specialists say that obsessions are always accompanied by compulsions to try and control the thoughts and others who say that some people just have obsessions without the rituals. In fact, I had one Doctor who said I did not have OCD, just an anxiety disorder, because I did not have compulsions. What is the common belief in this area?
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Jun 05, 2002 12:00AM
, Jun 05, 2002 12:00AM
The common belief is that there are a spectrum of symptoms that include obsessions, compulsions and anxiety, and the symptoms fluctuate and change.
In matter of fact, it doesn't make any difference for the treatment. The treatment is about what drives the anxiety. The symptoms are attempts to control the anxiety. You have to dig into the source to move beyond just control of the symptoms.
In matter of fact, it doesn't make any difference for the treatment. The treatment is about what drives the anxiety. The symptoms are attempts to control the anxiety. You have to dig into the source to move beyond just control of the symptoms.
Best of Luck!