Washing your hands a hundred times a day, cleaning the apartment for hours or constantly checking if the apartment door is locked: obsessive-compulsive disorders make life hell for sufferers and their families. Breaking the vicious circle is difficult, but possible. Tama guides Vakesan through the show.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder – when irrational thoughts rule reality
Maëva is 19 years old and constantly fears that if she touches things she deems to be dirty, she will contract diseases. She has been suffering from this obsessive-compulsive disorder for six years now. “Puls” gives her insight into her daily life, which is defined by her compulsions.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – Healing Through Coping
The earlier OCD is treated, the greater the chances of success. In cognitive behavioral therapy, the affected person has to face the moments of anxiety under supervision without performing any control action afterwards, such as washing hands. In this way, self-control can be restored step by step.
Deep brain stimulation – electrodes in the brain as a last resort
If psychotherapy and medication show no effect against obsessive-compulsive disorder, brain intervention remains as a treatment option of last resort. In deep brain stimulation, which is already being used successfully in Parkinson’s disease, the best electrodes are implanted in a specific area of the brain. Regular electrical impulses can reduce pathological activities in the brain region and return it to normal. However, there is no guarantee of success.
Pulse Conversation – Questions and answers on the topic “Obsessive Compulsive Disorders”
How do you recognize obsessive-compulsive disorder? How can a loved one be helped from obsessive-compulsive disorder? Can the problem go away without treatment? The expert group provides advice on Mondays from 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm – live in chat. Questions can be submitted in advance.
Broadcast: Monday, June 12, 2023 at 9:05 PM, SRF 1
