MHM Magazine

20 | MENTALHEALTHMATTERS | Issue 2 | 2021 MHM Yet, interestingly, the findings of this study did suggest that healthy individuals suffered from an increase in mental health symptoms as a result of COVID-19. TREATMENT FOR OCD: GUIDELINES UNDER COVID-19 Special treatment guidelines for the management of OCD under COVID-19 have recently been published. These guidelines emphasise psychoeducation and balanced information, i.e. suggesting that it’s important to stay home when possible, but also to continue with “normal” activities, like going out and do what they have to do while practicing physical distancing, sanitising often, and wearing a mask. Internet usage and news consumption should also be limited as the constant bombardment of reports on COVID-19 (some of which are not always accurate) may aggravate OCD and anxiety. As we have all learned during this pandemic, research often delivers a mixed bag of results, leading to frustration when answers are being sought, especially if it concerns something as important as our physical and mental health and that of loved ones. Moreover, research data come from samples, which differ vastly in terms of the people, places and surroundings being studied – resulting in an infinite number of variables and potentially conflicting results. Fortunately, with time, as more data are collected, trends do tend to emerge, and conclusions increase in certainty. For this reason, more research is necessary, and this is where South Africans – whether they have OCD or not – can also contribute. OCD RESEARCH IN SOUTH AFRICA Researchers have gained much insight into the causes of this disorder by comparing the brains of people with OCD to the brains of those without the condition. In South Africa, research on OCD is currently being conducted at the MRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, a cross-university unit between Stellenbosch University and the University of Cape Town. A global study, involving this unit, as well as sites in the USA, Brazil, the Netherlands and India, is working hard to gain knowledge about the multiple brain circuits implicated in OCD by conducting clinical interviews, sophisticated neurocognitive testing and brain imaging. The long-term aim of this project is to streamline the treatment of OCD by targeting the specific brain circuits involved in its development and maintenance more effectively. So far, the evidence suggests that the circuits regulating functions such as fear, subjective sensory experiences, habitual behaviours, reward and executive function seem to underpin OCD. This is a work in progress, and additional participants are needed. Please visit our website at global-ocd.org, or our Facebook page, @OCDRSA for more information. To get in touch personally, email the principal investigator, Prof Christine Lochner at CL2@sun.ac.za. If you would like more information on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health, visit the Mental Health Information Centre of Southern Africa at www.mentalhealthsa.org.za. References are available on request.