OCD, health anxiety and COVID-19: a new frontier

• Published in: the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist 2020-07, p.1
• Main Authors: Jassi, Amita, ShahriyarmolkI, Khodayar, taylor, Tracey, Peile, Lauren, Challacombe, Fiona, Clark, Bruce, Veale, David
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Obsessive compulsive disorder
• DOI: 10.1017/S1754470X20000318

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are likely to be more susceptible to the mental health impact of COVID-19. This paper shares the perspectives of expert clinicians working with OCD considering how to identify OCD in the context of COVID-19, changes in the presentation and importantly what to consider when undertaking Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for OCD in the current climate. The expert consensus is although the presentation of OCD and treatment may have become more difficult, CBT should still continue remotely unless there are specific reasons for it not to e.g. increase in risk, no access to computer or exposure tasks or behavioural experiments cannot be undertaken. The authors highlight some of the considerations to take in CBT in light of our current understanding of COVID-19, including therapists and clients taking calculated risks when developing behavioural experiments and exposure tasks, considering viral loading and vulnerability factors. Special considerations for young people and perinatal women are discussed as well as foreseeing what life may be like for those with OCD after the pandemic is over.