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The concealment of obsessions.
Behaviour Research and Therapy
|March 31, 2001
Summary
Patients often hide obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) thoughts and behaviors. This concealment is a safety behavior that may sustain OCD, but disclosing these thoughts could be therapeutic.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Background:
- Deliberate concealment of obsessions is common in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
- Concealment is an under-recognized safety behavior that may perpetuate OCD.
- Cognitive theory suggests obsessions arise from assigning catastrophic significance to intrusive thoughts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight concealment as a key aspect of OCD.
- To explore the role of concealment in maintaining OCD.
- To propose that controlled disclosure of obsessions may be therapeutic.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and theoretical analysis of concealment in OCD.
- Examination of cognitive models of OCD, focusing on safety behaviors.
- Exploration of the therapeutic potential of thought disclosure.
Main Results:
- Concealment is a prevalent and significant safety behavior in OCD.
- Concealment contributes to the maintenance cycle of OCD.
- Therapeutic disclosure of obsessions may offer alternative interpretations and reduce distress.
Conclusions:
- Concealment is a crucial, yet overlooked, manifestation of OCD.
- Understanding and addressing concealment is vital for effective OCD treatment.
- Strategic disclosure of obsessive thoughts may be a valuable therapeutic intervention.