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Essay / OCD Case Study - 1248
However, biological studies have shown that “changes in the brain caused by infection may predispose a person to developing OCD.” Another possible cause of OCD is unbalanced or low serotonin levels. (Causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder, p. 365). There are several ways to treat OCD, with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) being a psychological method. (As Gellatly and Molloy (2014) stated, the goal of CBT is to modify or reduce a person's maladaptive behavior. The behavioral method may include "testing irrational thoughts and gradual exposure to feared situations." (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy p.6) For example, a person with OCD may try to avoid their obsession, so the psychologist can expose them to their obsession. The cognitive method is used to modify. their inappropriate behaviors to change their thinking Methods may include keeping a journal and writing down their inappropriate behaviors (thoughts and behaviors when they occur and how often). According to Gellatly and Molloy (2014), effective CBT for people with OCD is exposure and response prevention (ERP). The basis of this therapy is to expose them to their fear, it is the thoughts and images that produce their anxiety, in other words their obsession, the therapy gradually exposes them to their obsession, starting first with a situation.