OCD wears many hats! It is a highly complex disorder with many different types of obsessions and compulsions. Most clinicians, families, and the general public know the more common content areas of OCD, such as contamination and arranging obsessions. Yet, some symptoms are puzzling and knowing when they do or do not fall under the OCD umbrella can be quite challenging. This presentation will provide examples of symptoms of OCD that may easily be confused with other diagnoses. We will help distinguish the OCD patterns from other difficulties, including behavioral concerns, eating restrictions, suicidal thoughts, aggressive tendencies, body focused repetitive behaviors, tics, and interests or preferences.
ERP is an effective, yet demanding treatment for OCD, making motivation essential to its success. Unfortunately, misconceptions about motivation can make it difficult for individuals to stay engaged. In order to help those with OCD enhance treatment motivation, panelists will present a framework for conceptualizing motivation as a skill, examining the common roadblocks, and identifying specific strategies for maintaining motivation across treatment and beyond. Presenters will integrate current research/clinical insights with lessons learned from their own experiences going through OCD treatment to provide attendees with practical, tailored motivational skills. Strategies for reframing attitudes towards anxiety and using the "greater good perspective shift" to enhance motivation will be provided. Overall, this panel will provide an interactive and inspirational venue for those with OCD to enhance treatment motivation.
Because OCD does not distinguish between countries, languages, gender, race, age, or background, we are committed to building a global advocacy network. In this presentation attendees will learn what the IOCDF is doing to spread the word about OCD awareness internationally. We will discuss differences and similarities between countries (or cities, or ethnicities) in access to diagnosis and treatment, and in the forms in which stigma manifests itself. We will learn how to widen our circle of compassion while at the same time we get inspired by making connection with new individual stories from all over the world. Let's all become global warriors of hope!
After the challenging work of ERP, you want to be done. But, you will slip – slipping is a normal process, and it happens for any behavior one tries to change (e.g., diets, exercise programs, smoking cessation, etc.). If slipping meant OCD returned in full force and propelled you back to dysfunction, that would be devastating. But, this isn't the case. The trick is early detection of warning signs and quick response to slips. In this interactive workshop attendees, will identify the triggers leading to slips. Roleplays will help them learn to recognize the OCDemon, who tries to trick you into turning small lapses into full scale relapse. Attendees will be interactively guided through the process of developing their own relapse prevention/recovery plan.
This presentation will provide the opportunity to ask questions about OCD and get answers from two leading OCD experts. Dr. James Claiborn, and Dr. Michael Jenike will attempt to answer any questions about OCD and related topics in a live exchange with the audience.
Heighten your anxiety in order to lower your anxiety. If you need to leave, you need to stay. Do on purpose what you are afraid you'll do by accident. Gain control by letting go of control. The understanding and treatment of OCD is full of counterintuitive concepts that are difficult for most people, at least initially, to understand and accept. This presentation reviews how “thinking backwards” not only makes sense in the treatment of OCD, but that it is the most powerful strategy for undermining the disorder and moving towards recovery. Multiple illustrations from actual OCD cases will be reviewed so that participants may clearly see specific applications in the real world of OCD.
We should all begin addressing OCD with the least expensive and least time-consuming intervention, and progress to costlier treatment as needed. One initial step is a simple, active, paradoxical self-help protocol that lets patients generate their own set of homework assignments to challenge the dominance of the disorder moment-by-moment. The four components of this model will be presented. “Step Back” refers to the ability to gain perspective in the moment of distress. “Want It” emphasizes the intention to access an emotional state counter to fear. “Step Forward” implies the typical assignment of exposure, while adding this new point of view. “Be Cunning” suggests specific tactics in the moment of doubt and distress.
View the slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/reid-wilson-step-back-want-it-step-forward-be-cunning
Taboo obsessions are called “taboo” for a reason – they embarrass those who suffer from them, causing them to hide their pain in shame, sometimes for decades. Their fear of being judged and ostracized keeps them silent, often until they finally understand that the thoughts can be treated under the diagnosis of OCD. Panel participants have all struggled with taboo thoughts and managed to largely overcome them – but not without some confusion and pitfalls along the way. They'll share their personal stories as well as their strategies for success, and will take questions from the audience.
