Subjective imagery in obsessive–compulsive disorder before and after exposure therapy

Abstract

Results showed differences between OCD and non-OCD images and their change after successful treatment, and confirmed clinical suggestions that cancelling images reduced OCD discomfort. The method's success paves the way for further studies of mental imagery in OCD: for instance, during fMRI.

An update on the efficacy of psychological treatments for obsessive–compulsive disorder in adults

“…Progressive Muscle Relaxation, alone or in combination with other anxiety management techniques such as problem solving and breathing exercises, was less efficacious than ERP in reducing symptoms of OCD in three separate trials (Fals-Stewart et al, 1993; Greist et al, 2002; Lindsay et al, 1997), failed to produce change over time as did ERP in a fourth (Marks et al, 2000), and was less efficacious than ACT in a fifth (Twohig et al, 2010). No conclusions regarding absolute efficacy can be drawn in the absence of no-treatment control groups.…”

“…This indicates that ERP is efficacious in the treatment of OCD. It also was superior to Anxiety Management (Lindsay et al, 1997) and Progressive Muscle Relaxation (see Fals-Stewart et al, 1993; Greist et al, 2002; Marks et al, 2000), as well as Stress Management when each was combined with medication (Simpson et al, 2008b) and to Autogenic Training when each was combined with pill-placebo (Nakatani et al, 2005). This indicates that ERP is efficacious and specific in the treatment of OCD.…”

Muscle relaxation therapy for anxiety disorders: It works but how?

“…This neglect is perhaps one reason that in the last decade many researchers and practitioners have turned their attention to pharmacological or cognitive treatments. Some recent researchers have even considered muscle relaxation to be no more than a ''psychological placebo'' (Greist et al, 2002;Marks et al, 1993Marks et al, , 2000Park et al, 2001), useful solely to calibrate the superiority of better treatments.…”

The psychophysiology of generalized anxiety disorder: 1. Pretreatment characteristics

“…Yet, in spite of these studies, many researchers and practitioners have turned their attention in the last decade from MRT to pharmacological or cognitive GAD treatments. Some have even denigrated muscle relaxation to the status of ''psychological placebo'' (Greist et al, 2002;Marks et al, 1993Marks et al, , 2000Park et al, 2001), useful solely for calibrating the superiority of other treatments. Barlow, Allen, and Choate (2004) went so far as to call relaxation training countertherapeutic.…”