Psychology 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder, Egosyntonic And Egodystonic, Reduced Affect Display

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Laura Fazakas- Dehoog

Document Summary

Involves recurrent obsessions or compulsions that are serious enough to adversely affect a person"s life. Obsessions- persistent and anxiety-evoking ideas, thoughts, impulses, or images. Compulsions - repetitive behaviors or mental acts to prevent or reduce anxiety or distress e. g. hoarding compulsion. Intrusive sexual thoughts or urges: excessive religious or moral doubt. Forbidden thoughts: need to have things (cid:862)just so(cid:863) Higher than normal activity in frontal lobe (involved in impulse control) Smaller caudate nucleus (so difficulty suppressing incoming impulses) Problem lies in impulse control and behavioral inhibition. Areas implicated in control of socially appropriate behaviors and motivation. Increased metabolism in the orbital-frontal cortex and medial prefrontal cortex. * imaging studies support this theory: psychodynamic theory. From unconscious break through into conscious awareness & cause anxiety. Learned an inappropriate and now vicious reinforcement cycle that is difficult to break. Generalized anxiety disorder (g. a. d. : prevalence: males: 4%, females 7, excessive worry & anxiety dominates patient"s life free floating anxiety .