- What is and what is not OCD?
- Is OCD curable?
- At what age does OCD begin?
- Is there a trigger for OCD? Can it be prevented?
- Are there differences in the symptoms of OCD experienced by boys and girls?
- How long do symptoms have to last for an OCD diagnosis?
- What is the treatment for OCD?
- What is the approximate time it takes for a person with OCD to experience a reduction in their symptoms during therapy?
- If you take medication and it works, do you need to take it for life?
- Do yoga, meditation, or other therapies work for OCD?
- Is OCD dangerous for the person who has it?
- How can we differentiate OCD from the symptoms of ASD?
- If a child with ASD has OCD, should we leave it alone or try to reduce or eliminate it?
- Is OCD associated with ADHD or bipolar disorder?
- How can I tell if my son or daughter has OCD?
- My daughter's hair is constantly breaking, which weakens it. She's even gone into the house up to 10 times to check that the gas was off. What can we do to stop her?
- How can we help our daughter with OCD to gain more self-confidence and reduce her anxiety?
- Why does a person with OCD generally have thoughts related to magic and religion?
- What should mothers do if they detect exaggerated symptoms in their children that cause suffering?
- Can people with pathological jealousy be treated with strategies similar to those used for people with OCD?
- I have an 11-year-old daughter who does a lot of things that seem like OCD. Is a diagnosis necessary? I'm afraid the label will overshadow the disorder itself, and that any behavior will be excused because she has OCD.
- I was diagnosed with OCD 20 years ago, I can't stop talking to myself (silently or in a low voice) and I get very distracted. Why might this be and what can I do?
- What can we, as a family, do if our adult daughter refuses help and has no interest in getting better?
- When my OCD drives the people around me crazy, what should they do?
- What is the difference between having tics and doing compulsions?
Can people with pathological jealousy be treated with strategies similar to those used for people with OCD?
Pathological jealousy, or morbid jealousy, can appear in the context of an altered emotional state or a more severe mental disorder. It is important to explore the content of the person's thoughts and examine any internal conflicts they may have, how they relate to others, and the bonds they form—whether more or less dependent—throughout their life. In this regard, a psychotherapeutic approach would be necessary.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (the preferred treatment for OCD) can be helpful for many types of disorders and symptoms, such as pathological jealousy, but it requires motivation and awareness of the problem on the part of the individual. Sometimes it's necessary to incorporate therapies from other schools of thought, such as dialectical behavior therapy, which can help with emotional regulation; or systemic family therapy, and a subtype of this, such as couples therapy. Each case is unique, and sometimes the symptom is just the tip of the iceberg. It's necessary to delve into the individual's possible internal conflicts so they can find explanations for certain behaviors and insecurities and be able to mentally prepare to initiate change.
In cases of jealousy, it's important to determine if the person suffers from morbid jealousy: a type of belief, sometimes almost delusional, that they are being cheated on by their partner. This type of disorder is especially common in men with a long history of alcohol dependence, and its treatment is complex. Antipsychotics are often tried at low doses, with limited success rates.