Abramowitz, J. S., Fabricant, L. E., Taylor, S., Deacon, B. J., McKay, D., & Storch, E. A. (2014). The relevance of analogue studies for understanding obsessions and compulsions. Clinical...
Overcoming ROCD S1 C1: Introduction to the course book
Hello and welcome to this course book on Overcoming Relationship-focused Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or what is commonly known as ROCD. This course book is designed to provide the support you need...
Overcoming ROCD S1 C2: Note to the partner
Mental disorders have an effect on families, particularly relationships between couples. It is undeniable that the partner of an ROCD sufferer also suffers terribly. Having OCD is definitely not...
Overcoming ROCD S1 C3: Accommodation by the partner
When we struggle, it is natural for our loved ones to want to comfort us, reassure us and help us out. It is also natural for us to want to be comforted by them. For example, when a child is hurt,...
Overcoming ROCD S1 C4: Introduction to OCD
OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder is a severely debilitating mental disorder that affects 2.5-3% of the population (Robbins, et al., 2019). Understanding the three words that make up...
Overcoming ROCD S1 C5: Types of presentations in OCD
Strictly from a clinical perspective, OCD is not broken down into its various subtypes. When psychiatrists diagnose a person with OCD, OCD is OCD. Neither more, nor less. Since treatment is not...
Overcoming ROCD S1 C6: Pure-O OCD
Compulsions such as washing, checking, rearranging, counting and repeating are visible to others. But there are presentations of OCD which have intrusive thoughts or obsessions but no apparent...
Overcoming ROCD S1 C7: Relationship OCD – An introduction
ROCD can be of three types - Type 1- where you doubt your love for your partner, Type 2 - where you doubt your partner’s love for you, and Type 3 (Doron et al, 2012a) - where you doubt if the...
Overcoming ROCD S1 C8: Other forms of ROCD
Usually, ROCD is understood to impact only romantic relationships. However, since OCD can morph into just about any form, there are other forms of ROCD that are also observed, that may not be...
Overcoming ROCD S1 C9: Healthy and unhealthy relationships
Relationships are not always healthy. An unhealthy relationship does not necessarily indicate the presence of ROCD. You need to have a correct assessment about your relationship rather than diagnose...
Overcoming ROCD S1 C10: Warning signs of ROCD – Type 1
Let us look at thirteen tell-tale signs that may indicate that you have ROCD Type 1. Before that though, here’s a word of caution - unless you are clinically diagnosed by a professional,...
Overcoming ROCD S1 C11: Warning signs of ROCD – Type 2
Let us now look at the fourteen questions I have compiled for you to determine if you may have ROCD Type 2. Make sure you are indeed diagnosed with ROCD by a professional. If you want to...
Overcoming ROCD S1 C12: Warning signs of ROCD – Type 3
Let us look at the questions I have compiled to help you determine if you have ROCD Type 3, that is relationship focused ROCD. If you are indeed diagnosed with ROCD by a mental health professional,...
Overcoming ROCD S2 C1: Is there a miracle cure?
I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but without beating around the bush, let me tell you that sadly, there is no miracle cure for OCD. But I am certain you know that by now. People often get...
Overcoming ROCD S2 C2: Recovery in ROCD
Most people who have OCD, and are yet to understand the premise of recovery want their intrusive thoughts to stop. If you read social media posts of people struggling with OCD, many of them talk...
Overcoming ROCD S2 C3: Factors affecting recovery
Let us now talk about two factors that majorly affect recovery in ROCD - the severity of the disorder, and the efforts made by the person. Severity: The first factor is the severity of the...
Overcoming ROCD S2 C4: Introduction to the pillars
As indicated, recovery in ROCD is not just a matter of getting medicines, popping pills and being done with it. Recovery from ROCD requires a change - a lifestyle change. I come across many people...
Overcoming ROCD S2 C5: The first pillar – CBT
A question that is frequently asked by many who want to understand how recovery in ROCD works is - what is better for recovery; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Exposure and Response Prevention...
Overcoming ROCD S2 C6: Cognitive distortions
As discussed in the previous chapter, cognitive distortions are thought patterns that may convince us of things that are not necessarily true or correct. Since our mental wellbeing depends upon the...
Overcoming ROCD S2 C7: The second pillar – ERP
The second pillar of recovery is ERP. ERP stands for exposure and response prevention. It is also sometimes referred to as Exposure and Ritual Prevention and/or notated as Ex/RP, and there is really...