Treatment of sexual trauma dissolves contamination fear: case report
Background: In patients with co-morbid obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), repetitive behavior patterns, rituals, and compulsions may ward off anxiety and often function as a coping strategy to control reminders of traumatic events. Therefore, add...
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doaj-3c633fd4b6d442118777179843a16fc02020-11-25T02:09:29ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662013-01-01401410.3402/ejpt.v4i0.19157Treatment of sexual trauma dissolves contamination fear: case reportMirjam J. NijdamMarthe M. van der PolRon E. DekensMiranda OlffDamiaan DenysBackground: In patients with co-morbid obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), repetitive behavior patterns, rituals, and compulsions may ward off anxiety and often function as a coping strategy to control reminders of traumatic events. Therefore, addressing the traumatic event may be crucial for successful treatment of these symptoms. Objective: In this case report, we describe a patient with comorbid OCD and PTSD who underwent pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. Methods: Case Report. A 49-year-old Dutch man was treated for severe PTSD and moderately severe OCD resulting from anal rape in his youth by an unknown adult man. Results: The patient was treated with paroxetine (60 mg), followed by nine psychotherapy sessions in which eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and exposure and response prevention (ERP) techniques were applied. During psychotherapy, remission of the PTSD symptoms preceded remission of the OCD symptoms. Conclusions: This study supports the idea of a functional connection between PTSD and OCD. Successfully processing the trauma results in diminished anxiety associated with trauma reminders and subsequently decreases the need for obsessive–compulsive symptoms.http://www.eurojnlofpsychotraumatol.net/index.php/ejpt/article/view/19157/pdf_1Obsessive–compulsive disorderposttraumatic stress disordercomorbiditycombined treatmentpsychotherapyEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessingpharmacological treatment |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Mirjam J. Nijdam Marthe M. van der Pol Ron E. Dekens Miranda Olff Damiaan Denys |
spellingShingle |
Mirjam J. Nijdam Marthe M. van der Pol Ron E. Dekens Miranda Olff Damiaan Denys Treatment of sexual trauma dissolves contamination fear: case report European Journal of Psychotraumatology Obsessive–compulsive disorder posttraumatic stress disorder comorbidity combined treatment psychotherapy Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing pharmacological treatment |
author_facet |
Mirjam J. Nijdam Marthe M. van der Pol Ron E. Dekens Miranda Olff Damiaan Denys |
author_sort |
Mirjam J. Nijdam |
title |
Treatment of sexual trauma dissolves contamination fear: case report |
title_short |
Treatment of sexual trauma dissolves contamination fear: case report |
title_full |
Treatment of sexual trauma dissolves contamination fear: case report |
title_fullStr |
Treatment of sexual trauma dissolves contamination fear: case report |
title_full_unstemmed |
Treatment of sexual trauma dissolves contamination fear: case report |
title_sort |
treatment of sexual trauma dissolves contamination fear: case report |
publisher |
Taylor & Francis Group |
series |
European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
issn |
2000-8066 |
publishDate |
2013-01-01 |
description |
Background: In patients with co-morbid obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), repetitive behavior patterns, rituals, and compulsions may ward off anxiety and often function as a coping strategy to control reminders of traumatic events. Therefore, addressing the traumatic event may be crucial for successful treatment of these symptoms. Objective: In this case report, we describe a patient with comorbid OCD and PTSD who underwent pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. Methods: Case Report. A 49-year-old Dutch man was treated for severe PTSD and moderately severe OCD resulting from anal rape in his youth by an unknown adult man. Results: The patient was treated with paroxetine (60 mg), followed by nine psychotherapy sessions in which eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and exposure and response prevention (ERP) techniques were applied. During psychotherapy, remission of the PTSD symptoms preceded remission of the OCD symptoms. Conclusions: This study supports the idea of a functional connection between PTSD and OCD. Successfully processing the trauma results in diminished anxiety associated with trauma reminders and subsequently decreases the need for obsessive–compulsive symptoms. |
topic |
Obsessive–compulsive disorder posttraumatic stress disorder comorbidity combined treatment psychotherapy Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing pharmacological treatment |
url |
http://www.eurojnlofpsychotraumatol.net/index.php/ejpt/article/view/19157/pdf_1 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT mirjamjnijdam treatmentofsexualtraumadissolvescontaminationfearcasereport AT marthemvanderpol treatmentofsexualtraumadissolvescontaminationfearcasereport AT ronedekens treatmentofsexualtraumadissolvescontaminationfearcasereport AT mirandaolff treatmentofsexualtraumadissolvescontaminationfearcasereport AT damiaandenys treatmentofsexualtraumadissolvescontaminationfearcasereport |
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