Read on to learn more about real event OCD and its treatments.
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What Is Real Event OCD?
They may worry about potential consequences of the event, such as losing a relationship with a loved one.
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They are also likely to take actions to reassure themselves, though this reassurance is short-lived.
Traumatic experiences can include abuse, neglect, or other disruptions to family life.
These obsessions may include:
People with real event OCD tend to overestimate the importance of their actions.
These obsessions cause anxiety that creates an urgent need to seek answers or reassurance.
These might include:
The relief brought on by these compulsions is usually temporary.
The intrusive thoughts seep back in, and the cycle begins again.
How Is Real Event OCD Different From Guilt or Shame?
Everyone thinks back on past experiences and feels guilt or shame to some extent.
However, people experiencing real event OCD have difficulty moving past these events.
Medication can be helpful for some people in combination with therapy.
The main form of CBT used for OCD is exposure and response prevention (ERP).
Sometimes, other types of medications are used to increase the benefit of antidepressants.
This way, they can acknowledge the thought as an “OCD thought,” not as a fact.
Thoughts can also be reframed.
Labeling the actionnot the personallows room for positive change.
TheInternational OCD Foundationoffers useful information on how to find (or start) support groups.
These thoughts cause them to question their morality.
Compulsive actions follow in an effort to manage the anxiety triggered by the obsessions.
Real event OCD is typically treated with medication and/or behavioral therapy.
Healthy lifestyle habits and mindfulness may also be beneficial.
Real event OCD centers around actual memories of specific experiences.
False memory OCD is a kind of OCD in which a person has intrusive doubting thoughts around past events.
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Anxiety & Depression Association of America.The reality of real-life OCD.
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Dykshoorn KL.Trauma-related obsessive-compulsive disorder: a review.Health Psychol Behav Med.
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International OCD Foundation.Support groups.
National Institute of Mental Health.Obsessive-compulsive disorder.
