Managing obsessive compulsive disorder with cognitive behaviour therapy: a case study

Abstract

OCD is characterized by the presence of obsessions or compulsions that consumes time and significantly interferes with the individual’s daily routine, work, family or social life, causing marked distress. OCD can affect people of all ages irrespective of their class, religion or gender and usually it starts in childhood. It is thought that 2-3% of the population has OCD. Cognitive behaviour therapy is evidence based psychotherapeutic treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder. The present case report attempts to highlight the effectiveness of CBT on OCD. CBT was applied along with the pharmacological treatment to the patient for 17 sessions. The combined treatment approach (CBT & pharmacological management) resulted in the patient presenting with no symptoms that interfered significantly with her life and most of the day was symptom-free and also gains obtained through therapy were sustained for longer time as patient remained asymptomatic. The patient remained under follow up for six months and found that combined treatment has better outcome than single interventional approach.