A new series on Arte, the series Purein which the heroine is assailed by irrepressible sexual thoughts, invites us to ask Dr. Martin Ducret, that she is this little-known form of TOC, from which the young woman suffers, a form called “Pure O”, or even impulse phobia.
franceinfo: Already, before talking about this series, what is a TOC?
Martin Ducret: OCD is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It is a chronic psychological disease, characterized by obsessions. That is to say distressing thoughts, which constantly and without reason invade the brain.
And by compulsions, which are repetitive ritual behaviors, which allow these obsessions to be chased away. Concretely, it may be washing your hands dozens of times a day if you are obsessed with dirt, or constantly tidying your house if you are obsessed with clutter.
In Purethe new series of Arte, what is the specificity of the OCD from which the heroine suffers?
In this British series, the viewer finds himself inside the head of a young woman who suffers from “Pure O” OCD, a purely obsessive form of OCD, that is to say without compulsive rituals. This type of OCD is much less known to the general public, because it is less spectacular than a classic OCD.
In the series, the heroine is obsessed with sexuality. She has uncontrollable sexual thoughts popping up in her head all the time. In other patients with the same type of OCD, it may be violent or self-destructive thoughts. For example, they imagine themselves injuring someone or causing an accident on the highway. So be careful, in these patients, there is never any acting out. It just stays in their head.
Can this type of OCD be treated?
Yes and fortunately. And as with any OCD, it is imperative to consult a mental health specialist, psychiatrist or psychologist, to follow a CBT-type therapy, and in the most severe cases to benefit from antidepressant drugs.
CBT? What is that ?
It stands for cognitive behavioral therapy. It is a method of care, scientifically proven, based on the word, in 8 to 12 sessions, where the therapist first teaches the patient to identify his negative thoughts; then, through practical exercises, he shows him how to modify his perception and his behavior vis-à-vis his thoughts, this allows the patient to better support them and reduce his anxiety.