Oxford Guide to the Treatment of Mental Contamination [Paperback]

A fear of contamination drives the most common manifestation of obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD) - compulsive washing. This book provides a detailed account of the nature and causes of the various forms of a fear of contamination and their consequences, written by leading experts in the field.A fear of contamination drives the most common manifestation of obsessive compulsive disorders(OCD), compulsive washing. OCD is a distressing anxiety disorder that affects 1-2 percent of the population and can be disabling. Intense and complex forms of the disorder benefit from advanced analyses of contamination and its treatment.This book, part of a series on modern psychological treatments published by OUP, provides a detailed account of the nature and causes of the various forms of a fear of contamination and their consequences. Methods of treatment are described and fully illustrated by case histories. The inclusion of original analyses and explanations of a newly recognised form of the fear, mental contamination, is an important feature of the book and will enable therapists to expand their ability to assess and treat the abnormal fears of contamination.Written by clinicians with extensive experience, this volume is valuable for all clinical psychologists and psychotherapists with an interest in OCDPart 1: Phenomena of Contamination Fears1. Clinical fears of contamination2. Features of contact and mental contamination3. Case illustrations of contact and mental contamination4. Mental contamination5. Case illustrations of various forms of mental contamination6. A cognitive theory of contamination fears and compulsive washingPart 2: Cognitive-Behavioural Treatment of Mental Contamination7. Assessment and formulation of mental contamination8. Overview of cognitive behavioural treatment of mental contamination9. Case illustrations of cognitive behavioural methods10. Contamination after physical or psychological violations11. Case illustratiló)