Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior Case Study

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1. When do obsessive-compulsive behaviors begin for most individuals?
a. According to the text, obsessive-compulsive behaviors start during the adolescent and early adult years for most people. The average age that these behaviors are seen is between 19 and 20 years old.
2. What were Sarah’s primary obsession and compulsions?
a. The main obsessions and compulsions discussed that Sarah struggled with was safety, so checking that things were locking and unplugged when leaving the house or going to bed. Other concerns were being responsible for another person’s misfortune, driving and having images of disasters and harm.
3. Why did Sarah finally decide to seek treatment?
a. The turning point for Sarah to seek out treatment came when her soon-to-be husband expressed a concern for her.
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Dr. Laslow’s typical approach to therapy and the one used to help Sarah cope with her obsessive-compulsive disorder was a cognitive-behavioral approach. The type of therapy and treatment used was a mix of exposure therapy and response prevention.
5. Dr. Laslow asked Sarah to keep track of her obsessions and compulsions. What did Sarah learn from entering this information, and how did Dr. Laslow use this information to assist in her treatment program?
a. From keeping track of all of her obsessions and compulsions in the app, Sarah was able to learn several things. One thing she learned was that she was three types of obsessive-compulsive anxieties including household, driving, and her destructive thoughts and images. Another thing she was able to learn was that she can get no anxiety from plugging in appliances. Lastly, she was able to learn that her reaction to being blamed for a disaster was a “healthy defiance”. From all of this, Dr. Laslow was able to use this information to help decide where to go next with her treatments each week.
6. What was the purpose of recording Sarah’s visually imagined disaster scenes?
a. For her to become less reactive and give her a more positive