When her boyfriend asks her about today's therapy session, Jamie responds, "It wasn't very fun.My therapist had me sit right next to her trash can, which was brimming full of garbage and half-eaten food.I could almost see the germs jumping right out at me.Now she wants me to touch something I think is contaminated at least once a day every day this week." Jamie is probably suffering from ____ and is being treated using ____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Jamie's reaction in therapy suggests that she is experiencing obsessions or intrusive thoughts about contamination and is engaging in compulsive behaviors to alleviate her anxiety. Her therapist's use of exposure therapy, which involves gradually exposing the person to feared objects or situations, is a common treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder. In this case, the therapist is asking Jamie to touch something she perceives as contaminated as a way to challenge her belief that germs are inherently dangerous and to help her learn to tolerate her anxiety without engaging in compulsive behaviors.

When Her Boyfriend Asks Her About Today's Therapy Session, Jamie