A recent study appearing in the journal of Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy reviews the potential use of “mindfulness techniques” in treating symptoms of OCD. Mindfulness techniques are rooted in Eastern philosophy and emphasis objective consideration of one’s thoughts as simply thoughts and not necessarily reality. Many new psychotherapeutic techniques for OCD including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) strongly emphasize mindfulness strategies.

A recent study in the journal Biological Psychiatry has found that people with OCD show a small reduction in the size of particular areas of the brain. This study, which reviewed all scientific magnetic resonance imaging data concerning OCD for the in the past 2 decades, found a consistent decrease in the volume of areas called the cingulate cortex and the left and right orbitofrontal cortex. The authors of the study concluded that these structural differences may underlie symptoms seen in OCD. Importantly, this study may also suggest targets for new treatments such as deep-brain stimulation.

A study in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders has found that just over a quarter of individuals with OCD have had significant problems with substance abuse or dependence over their lifetime. Both a younger age of OCD symptom onset and having borderline personality disorder predicted substance abuse or dependence. Although some individuals turn to substances to help cope with OCD, this only serves to put off dealing with the real problem and can actually make symptoms worse. Living successfully with OCD means choosing effective coping strategies for dealing life stress.

Researchers in Korea have developed a virtual environment that could one day be used to treat people with OCD. In this study, people diagnosed with OCD were given a virtual task to complete and then were allowed to check as many times as they wanted that the task had been carried out correctly (people were able to navigate through the virtual environment using a joystick and head-mounted display). People reported increased levels of anxiety in the virtual environment compared to those who had not experienced the virtual environment. Given the apparent realism of this task, this technology could be used to enhance and customize current behavioral treatments for OCD.