Far Beyond Everyday Superstitions
Each day my grandfather has an impulse to touch his shoulder, then his nose, and after these actions are accomplished he touches his ear. He does these actions each and every time he says hello to a human being. It is as if he is a coach on the third-base line signaling a runner to steal home. He doesn’t know why he does these actions; he just does. He has on obvious reason and trys not to do them, but each time they come back. My grandfather feels ashamed of his actions and does not want anyone to know of them. He has other impulses as well. He turns off light switches with his thumb, only his thumb. My grandfather was diagnosed with the Obsessive-Compulsive disorder twenty years ago.
The
…show more content…
Americans need to become more aware of how it effects ones life, due to the surprisingly high number of people that have symptoms of it.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is seemed to be an inherited condition. Family combinations are very common. Such as: a daughter inheriting it from her mother, daughter from her father, and mother and son. Father-son combinations are most common (Dumont, 143). These combinations may share the same OCD or an entire different one, cases vary. It may appear at the same age or at a different one, again cases differ.
The Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is hard to diagnosis. On average, people with OCD see three to four doctors and spend over 9 years seeking treatment before they receive a correct diagnosis. Studies have also found that it takes an average of 17 years from the time OCD begins for people to obtain appropriate treatment. (11/28, http://www.ocfoundation.org/ocf1010a.html). Since OCD is hard to diagnosis treatment is trial and error, or based on past patients.
Many humans have superstitions, so how can one know what is only a superstition or a serious disorder? Psychologists are still wary about the biological "circuits" for this disorder. They believe a patient who has the disorder has lost one’s sense of truly knowing something. The loss of the "circuits" that control the sense of knowing and basic behaviors: safety, grooming, attack, etc. These "circuits" might not work for the victims of
toward a family member. About 65% of the people with OCD have one of these problems.
Obsessive-compulsive disorders can begin in childhood or adolescence and can affect a person at any age. The older a person gets the more likely it may be for them to develop OCD symptoms. The average age of onset for this illness is age seven. Symptoms may be active within a child but they may be too embarrassed or confused about their fear and keep to themselves. Kids who suffer from this illness are unable to hide the rituals and constantly think about their obsessions. It may not be easy for the doctor or parents to be able to tell if their child has OCD unless the child has informed them or they notice ritual like behavior.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves a chemical imbalance in the brain. This chemical imbalance is thought to be the main reason for obsessions and compulsions, although there may be other factors as well. Nearly one in every fifty people suffers from symptoms of OCD ("Escape"), and approximately 5 million Americans are affected by
There are a wide range of OCD symptoms, but unfortunately, research has showed that there is a long waiting process between the time when an individual begins with OCD symptoms and when they get first-time treatment. With an early diagnosis and treatment, the maximum benefit to the patient will be. Therapies, exercises, balanced-healthy nutrition and others will improved life style and reduce anxiety and fears to help in managing some aspects of an obsessive-compulsive
In medieval Europe, religion was an important facet of life. It was vital that people belonged to a faith and worshipped. During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, however, the Christian church began seeing people as worshipping incorrectly or worshipping things other than God. The Church, seeing this as superstition, decided to take action. Why was the Church so concerned over what they considered superstition, and how did it affect the people living during this time? During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, Christian authorities grew increasingly concerned over superstition due to a fear of demons and worry that it would corrupt Christian society, which overall decreased the spiritual quality of life.
OCD is also considered to be genetic. If a parent or sibling is diagnosed with OCD, there is a twenty-five percent chance that it can be passed along. Before diagnosing a patient with OCD, a physician will have some blood tests done to rule out any other medical illness that can cause symptoms of OCD or to ensure that no illegal drugs are the cause of the issue. Once these issues are ruled out, physicians rely on a questionnaire that is gone over with the patient. In order to be diagnosed with OCD, a person must have obsessions, compulsions, or both that affect their work, relationships, or daily life. These issues normally need to last at least an hour a day for it to be classified as
Underestimated, unnoticed, and sometimes ignored, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) lurks in the shadows of other illnesses. OCD is a mental condition that has severe to minor effects, but help is always available through Exposure with Response Prevention Therapy and medication. OCD obliterates the ability to think and live freely, leaving its victim trapped in a world of repetition.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) was once considered a rare disease, but today, it is one of the most prevalent psychological disorders present among society. OCD is described as “intrusive thoughts or images (obsessions), which increase anxiety, and by repetitive or ritualistic actions (compulsions), which decrease anxiety” (Stein, 2002). In the DSM-IV, Obsessive compulsive disorder can be diagnosed through observable behaviours or repetitive mental habits. Symptoms include; the constant washing of hands, and/or fears concerning danger to others or to self – resulting in frequent paranoia. OCD has been linked with lesions in various neurological circuits of the brain due to the consumption of dopamine agonists (for example, cocaine). In order for obsessive compulsive disorder to take clinical significance, dysfunction and distress must follow symptoms. The treatment of OCD was initially developed in the Freudian era, as psychoanalytical treatment was seen as the most effective treatment at the time for mind management. Conversely, recent empirical evidence proved otherwise. Pharmacological therapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy, also known as systematic desensitization are nowadays the most prominent remedies used in treating obsessive compulsive disorder.
His findings were supported by Thomsen (1994) who found that the brain structure of 24 patients from OCD-like familial structures did not differ substantially from patients with severe mental illnesses. Even though the Adams and Thomsen studies raise a fair point, of all the studies done on the correlation of OCD and families, a majority of them support genetic transmission (Nestadt et al, 2010). Therefore, OCD is more likely to be caused by heredity and genetics than family structures.
Readings Commented on: The Movie As Good as It Gets and the Article Perceived Functions of Worry Among Generalized Anxiety Disorder Subjects: Distraction From More Emotionally Distressing Topics? Some studies showed that heritability plays a significant role in the onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, there is evidence that traumatic events, physical and sexual abuse may also be associated with the symptoms of OCD (Beidel, Frueh, & Hersen). In the movie called As Good as It Gets, it is easy to identify the mental disorder that Mr. Udall suffers.
In the essay “In Defense of Superstition”, begins with an anecdote of someone going to the airport on Friday the 13th, claiming, “Will you still take the flight will all the omens screaming you shouldn’t?” Friday the 13th has been known to be a truly unfortunate day worldwide and despite this person doing all these superstitions will they be safe? Although there’s no scientific basis of superstitions being real, its not harmful to believe in them. It’s only unhealthy if you’re putting all of your faith in that single ideology; this notion can be compared to religion. Religious followers degrade others for not believing in religion and if they do, they disgrace them for not believing it “right”. They believe everything they say is right and
Psychological disorders are stated to be abnormalities of the mind, known as mental disorders (Klasco, 2011). Abnormalities of the mind cause persistent behaviors that affect an individual’s daily function and life (Klasco, 2011). The different types of psychological disorders include mood disorders, personality disorders, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders (Klasco, 2011). The causes of these disorders are unknown, but factors that contribute to these disorders include childhood experiences, chemical imbalances in the brain, illnesses, heredity, stress, and prenatal exposures (Klasco, 2011). Psychological disorders can be serious and can be life-threatening
the environment around them. Also the OCD foundation (2000), says that even though no specific genes for OCD have been identified, research suggests that genes do play a role in the development of the disorder in some cases. Childhood-onset OCD tends to run in families. When a parent has OCD, there is a slightly increased risk that a child will develop OCD. While OCD runs in families, it is the general nature of OCD that seems to be inherited, not any specific symptoms.
Obsessive compulsive disorder is influenced by neurological factors with symptoms such as repeating steps, continuously washing their hands, and having a fear of objects like germs. Although there is no cure, there are treatments such as medication and therapy that can help lessen the patient’s anxiety and discomfort.
Nestled in between two countries is a great gorge, a river flowing through the bottom. The sides are made of rock and they reach their rigid hands up to the sky. When the sun falls, pinks, purples, and oranges paint over the landscape. It looks almost mystical.