Treating a Client with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

1 Treating a Client with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Article by our tutors Background Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a devastating mental health condition in which a person presents with repeated thoughts and feels an overwhelming urge to engage repeatedly in certain activities (Pittenger, 2017). This condition results in distress besides impairing the general functioning of the affected person. Treatment for OCD is essential since, in some cases, the person can experience a compelling urge to engage in activities that can lead to self-harm.

This disorder can affect children, adolescents, and adults. Treatment helps to prevent the client from developing other mental disorders (Pittenger, 2017). Medications and psychotherapeutic approaches are integrated into the treatment plan to enhance the attainment of the projected health outcomes. This exercise examines the treatment plan for an adult female presenting with OCD. Check our tutors for a customized paper or purchase this paper as your study guide.

History of Present Illness The 38-year-old female client was referred to the therapist clinic by her primary care provider. She has a long history of psychological disorders for which she has received treatment from various psychiatrists. However, the client did not show any sign of improvement. The client reported her compulsion. She noted that she has an overwhelming urge to clean the dishes. She also said that she is constantly thinking of how her words and other kitchen surfaces are dirty and need to be cleaned. She reported that these thoughts are taking up much of her daytime. Since she is a homemaker, she is concerned that the symptoms might hurt her family’s well-being.

2 Clinical Impression The presented symptoms align with the DSM-V requirements for OCD. Per the DSM-5 criteria, an individual must present with recurrent and persistent thoughts and impulses that are disturbing and intrusive, leading to considerable anxiety and distress (Reghunandanan, Stein & Fineberg, 2015). The person performs the compulsion as a way of neutralizing the persistent thoughts. In the current case, the client presented with fear of dirt as an obsession and a compelling urge to clean dishes and kitchen surfaces.

Pharmacological Intervention Treatment of OCD does not guarantee a cure. However, it helps to improve a client’s ability to control the overwhelming symptoms (Reghunandanan, Stein & Fineberg, 2015).

Treatment is based on the severity of the symptoms. Antidepressants form the first line of treatment for OCD. The client is administered Fluoxetine 20 mg, which is taken once daily.

Fluoxetine helps the client overcome compulsion and improve mood (King, 2019).

Psychotherapy Therapy helps to ease distress and improve personal control of compelling thoughts.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the most suitable therapeutic intervention for OCD. ERP is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy whereby the client is exposed to activities or objects that trigger obsessions and asked to avoid responding to the compulsion (Hezel & Simpson, 2019). ERP teaches the client that she can tolerate her distress without giving in to compulsions. Eventually, the obsessions and their powers are drained thus improving the functioning of a person (Hezel & Simpson, 2019).

3 Medical Management Needs Alleviation of compulsions, together with an increased ability to perform self-control, is the primary medical management need for OCD. The OCD symptoms have negatively affected the client's ability to engage in other daily life activities. The thoughts and obsessions take most of the client's daytime. Therefore, proper thought and time management are relevant medical needs for the client. The client's social life will improve if the symptoms are handled appropriately.

Community support resources The family is the critical source of support for the client. The client is married with four children. The family lives together; hence she does not suffer from loneliness. The children assist her with daily chores whenever they are at home. The husband provides for the family while the client is a homemaker. Her friends offer social support, helping to avert social distress and anxiety. The client can also obtain support from various organizations, including the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) and Mental Health America. The IOCDF provides people living with OCD with the resources necessary to overcome the distressful symptoms. The primary aim of this organization is to improve access to treatment, research, and training, as well as a supportive community for people affected by OCD (IOCDF, 2021).

Follow-up plan A follow-up plan of four weeks was established for the client. This plan was deemed suitable as it would provide time for the client to take the medication and participate in ERP sessions. Fluoxetine usually takes 4-6 weeks to elicit maximum mental health benefits.

4 Conclusion Obsessive-compulsive disorder is usually treated with a combination of medications and psychotherapy. This treatment plan helps to reduce the severity of the symptoms, improve selfcontrol over daily life and enable the client to engage in constructive activities. Exposure and Response Prevention is the best intervention for OCD. This intervention helps the client to confront her fears and develop competent skills to overcome compelling thoughts.

Antidepressants administered in OCD patients help to alleviate anxiety and compulsion.

5 References Hezel, D., & Simpson, H. (2019). Exposure and response prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A review and new directions. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 61(Suppl 1), S85– S92. https://doi.org/10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_516_18 IOCDF (2021). About the IOCDF. https://iocdf.org/about/ King, B. H. (2019). Fluoxetine and repetitive behaviors in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. JAMA, 322(16), 1557-1558. http://doi:10.1001/jama.2019.11738 Pittenger, C. (Ed.). (2017). Obsessive-compulsive disorder: phenomenology, pathophysiology, and treatment. Oxford University Press.

Reghunandanan, S., Stein, D. J., & Fineberg, N. (2015). Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders. Oxford University Press