... anticipates from a certain impulse. Another assumption of the psychoanalytic explanation of OCD is that regression tend to be a central mechanism in determining the development of obsessive compulsive symptoms. This suggests that an OCD sufferer prevents the associated anxiety by abandoning the genital impulses and regressing to the earlier anal phase instead of repressing that impulse. This has been said to provide relief as giving up genital urges mean that by giving up genital urges sufferers are no longer confronted with any difficulties led by these urges. One strength of the psychodynamic model is that it has been supported by considerable research in this area. Evidence from Apter (1997) clearly demonstrated that individuals who had attempted suicide displayed a higher score on several ego defence mechanisms which included regression compared to non-suicidal participants. Given this it can surely be concluded that there is a relationship between anxiety and ego ...

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