A nurse is assisting a patient with OCD in developing a hierarchy of feared stimuli for exposure therapy. Which statement by the nurse is appropriate during this process?
"We will completely avoid the situations that cause anxiety.”
"You'll need to perform your compulsions while facing these situations.”
"There's no need to confront your fears; they will go away on their own.”
"You should only focus on situations that are easy to tolerate.”
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A rationale:
Avoiding situations that cause anxiety is counterproductive in exposure therapy, which is a common treatment for OCD. Exposure therapy involves gradual and controlled exposure to feared stimuli to reduce anxiety. Avoidance reinforces the anxiety response and prevents habituation. Facing the situations that trigger anxiety is crucial for desensitization.
Choice B rationale:
This choice is correct because exposure therapy for OCD involves facing feared situations while refraining from engaging in compulsions. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that a person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rigid rules. By gradually exposing the individual to these situations and preventing them from performing compulsions, the anxiety response diminishes over time.
Choice C rationale:
Telling the patient that their fears will go away on their own is inaccurate and dismissive of the distress that OCD can cause. OCD is a chronic condition that typically requires evidence-based interventions for symptom reduction. Ignoring the fears and hoping they will disappear without intervention is not a valid therapeutic approach.
Choice D rationale:
Focusing only on situations that are easy to tolerate would not be effective in exposure therapy. The essence of exposure therapy is to confront situations that provoke anxiety gradually, starting with less anxiety-provoking situations and progressing to more challenging ones. This process helps the individual build resilience against anxiety triggers.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
The observation that the client's obsessions and compulsions are consistent with their self-image would not necessarily support the diagnosis of OCD. This could be applicable to other mental disorders as well, where the symptoms align with the individual's self-concept.
Choice B rationale:
If the client engages in compulsions to achieve pleasurable outcomes, this might suggest a different perspective. OCD compulsions are typically performed to alleviate distress or prevent a feared event, not for achieving pleasure.
Choice C rationale:
If the client's obsessions and compulsions are not causing significant distress, this could point towards other disorders or even potentially normal behavior. OCD is characterized by the distress caused by the obsessions and the urge to perform compulsions to alleviate this distress.
Choice D rationale:
The correct answer. In OCD, individuals are aware that their obsessions and compulsions are irrational and excessive. This self-awareness differentiates OCD from other disorders where the beliefs and behaviors might be seen as reasonable by the individual.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Discarding possessions easily, regardless of their value, is not characteristic of hoarding disorder. Hoarding disorder involves the persistent difficulty in parting with possessions, even if they have little value, due to the emotional attachment individuals feel toward these items.
Choice B rationale:
Accumulating possessions without any emotional attachment is not indicative of hoarding disorder. In hoarding disorder, emotional attachment to possessions is a hallmark feature, and individuals often experience distress at the thought of discarding items.
Choice C rationale:
This is the correct choice. Hoarding disorder is characterized by the strong need to save items, regardless of their practical value, and the significant distress experienced when attempting to discard them. This behavior leads to the accumulation of possessions and can result in living spaces becoming cluttered and uninhabitable.
Choice D rationale:
Organizing possessions meticulously to maintain a clutter-free environment is not consistent with hoarding disorder. People with hoarding disorder struggle with organization and often have difficulty maintaining clutter-free spaces due to the accumulation of possessions.
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