Glossary
Managing any chronic disease, including OCD, means having to learn a whole new vocabulary. Find out the meanings of the various terms you are likely to come across when reading about OCD or discussing OCD with your healthcare provider.
Clinical Trial
Clinical trials are experiments that test a large number of people under controlled conditions to evaluate the effectiveness of new treatments. Although clinical trials are often used to evaluate new drugs, they can also be used to test different forms of psychotherapy.
Clinical trials are experiments that test a large number of people under controlled conditions to evaluate the effectiveness of new treatments. Although clinical trials are often used to evaluate new drugs, they can also be used to test different forms of psychotherapy.
OCD Spectrum Disorder
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders provides a specific definition of OCD that includes the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions that cause major distress or disruption to daily living. However, there are also a number of other disorders that while not technically meeting the DSM diagnostic criteria for OCD, fall within the so-called OCD spectrum. This spectrum captures different clusters of symptoms that are reminiscent of, but not exactly the same of OCD.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders provides a specific definition of OCD that includes the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions that cause major distress or disruption to daily living. However, there are also a number of other disorders that while not technically meeting the DSM diagnostic criteria for OCD, fall within the so-called OCD spectrum. This spectrum captures different clusters of symptoms that are reminiscent of, but not exactly the same of OCD.
Dealing With Stigma in the Workplace
If you have OCD, work -- seeking out, obtaining and maintaining gainful employment -- can be extremely challenging. While symptoms of OCD can get in the way of completing the required duties of a particular job, there is also the significant challenge of stigma, prejudice and discrimination that is associated with mental illness.
If you have OCD, work -- seeking out, obtaining and maintaining gainful employment -- can be extremely challenging. While symptoms of OCD can get in the way of completing the required duties of a particular job, there is also the significant challenge of stigma, prejudice and discrimination that is associated with mental illness.
Clinical Psychologist
A clinical psychologist is a mental health professional with highly specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, including OCD.
A clinical psychologist is a mental health professional with highly specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, including OCD.
Cognitions
Cognitions are the thoughts that we have on a daily basis.
Cognitions are the thoughts that we have on a daily basis.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is a psychological treatment that targets the harmful obsessions and compulsions that accompany OCD.
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is a psychological treatment that targets the harmful obsessions and compulsions that accompany OCD.
Compulsion
Compulsions are behaviors that have to be done over and over again to relieve anxiety.
Compulsions are behaviors that have to be done over and over again to relieve anxiety.
Compulsive Hoarding
Pathological or compulsive hoarding is a specific type of behavior characterized by acquiring and failing to throw out a large number of items that would appear to have little or no value to others (e.g., papers, notes, flyers, newspapers, clothes), severe cluttering of the person’s home so that it is no longer able to function as a viable living space and significant distress or impairment of work or social life.
Pathological or compulsive hoarding is a specific type of behavior characterized by acquiring and failing to throw out a large number of items that would appear to have little or no value to others (e.g., papers, notes, flyers, newspapers, clothes), severe cluttering of the person’s home so that it is no longer able to function as a viable living space and significant distress or impairment of work or social life.
Coping
Coping refers to the thoughts and actions we use to deal with stress.
Coping refers to the thoughts and actions we use to deal with stress.
Deep-brain Stimulation
Deep brain stimulation is a technique that involves precise stimulation of particular parts of the brain through the implantation of removable electrodes
Deep brain stimulation is a technique that involves precise stimulation of particular parts of the brain through the implantation of removable electrodes
Exposure and Response Prevention
Exposure and response prevention is one of the most popular and effective forms of behavior therapy for OCD.
Exposure and response prevention is one of the most popular and effective forms of behavior therapy for OCD.
Glossary: Depression
A glossary of terms related to depression from About.com's Guide to Depression.
A glossary of terms related to depression from About.com's Guide to Depression.
Glossary: Generalized Anxiety Disorder
A glossary of terms related to panic disorder from About.com's Guide to GAD.
A glossary of terms related to panic disorder from About.com's Guide to GAD.
Glossary: Panic Disorder
A glossary of terms related to panic disorder from About.com's Guide to Panic Disorder.
A glossary of terms related to panic disorder from About.com's Guide to Panic Disorder.
Hoarding
Pathological or compulsive hoarding is a specific type of behavior characterized by acquiring and failing to throw out a large number of items that would appear to have little or no value to others
Pathological or compulsive hoarding is a specific type of behavior characterized by acquiring and failing to throw out a large number of items that would appear to have little or no value to others
Hypochondriasis
Hypochondriasis is a condition in which individuals have obsession-like concerns primarily related to their health.
Hypochondriasis is a condition in which individuals have obsession-like concerns primarily related to their health.
Magical Thinking
Magical thinking is an illogical thought pattern common among people with OCD.
Magical thinking is an illogical thought pattern common among people with OCD.
Medical Dictionary
An online medical dictionary for terms you are likely to hear when reading about or discussing OCD with your healthcare provider.
An online medical dictionary for terms you are likely to hear when reading about or discussing OCD with your healthcare provider.
Mental Health Glossary
A comprehensive glossary of terms related specifically to mental health.
A comprehensive glossary of terms related specifically to mental health.
Obsessions
Obsessions are thoughts, images or ideas that won’t go away, are unwanted and are extremely distressing or worrying.
Obsessions are thoughts, images or ideas that won’t go away, are unwanted and are extremely distressing or worrying.
PANDAS
PANDAS is a specific form of childhood of OCD that may be an autoimmune disorder.
PANDAS is a specific form of childhood of OCD that may be an autoimmune disorder.
Structured Clinical Interview
A structured clinical interview is a tool that helps physicians, psychologists and researchers make an accurate diagnosis of a variety of mental illnesses, such as OCD.
A structured clinical interview is a tool that helps physicians, psychologists and researchers make an accurate diagnosis of a variety of mental illnesses, such as OCD.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when the brain is injured or damaged by an outside force such as a blow to head or a gunshot.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when the brain is injured or damaged by an outside force such as a blow to head or a gunshot.
Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania (TTM) is an impulse control disorder affecting less than 1% of the population, in which the affected person repeatedly pulls out hair from any part of the body for non-cosmetic reasons.
Trichotillomania (TTM) is an impulse control disorder affecting less than 1% of the population, in which the affected person repeatedly pulls out hair from any part of the body for non-cosmetic reasons.
Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety disorders are prolonged exaggerations of our normal and adaptive reaction to fearful or stressful events.
Anxiety disorders are prolonged exaggerations of our normal and adaptive reaction to fearful or stressful events.