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Treatment of Contamination Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

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Clinical Handbook of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders

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Abstract

Contamination obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by intrusive thoughts of germs, dirt, or illness that elicit feelings of fear, anxiety, disgust, or discomfort and are associated with washing and/or cleaning compulsions. Contamination fears are present in roughly half of patients with OCD and are among the most disabling of OCD symptoms. The evidence-based treatments for contamination OCD include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) medication and cognitive behavior therapy, specifically exposure and response prevention. This chapter describes the case of a 24-year-old male with contamination OCD. The nature of his symptoms and functional impairment is described, and the treatment course is outlined in detail. The assessment approach is provided as well. Strategies for implementing psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, and exposure and response prevention are explained, and several illustrative examples from this treatment are provided in this chapter. Key practice points include starting exposure practices early, providing psychoeducation, and theoretical explanation for exposure, and thinking creatively with the patient to titrate the level of difficulty of each exposure practice as appropriate throughout treatment.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA

    Shannon M. Bennett PhD

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  1. Shannon M. Bennett PhD
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Correspondence to Shannon M. Bennett PhD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Health Policy & Management, Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, and Psychology, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA

    Eric A. Storch

  2. Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA

    Adam B. Lewin

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Bennett, S. (2016). Treatment of Contamination Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. In: Storch, E., Lewin, A. (eds) Clinical Handbook of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17139-5_2

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