OCD: A Short Story

The following is an overview about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), one of the most difficult psychiatric illness to be understood. The way of doing certain behaviors, thoughts or routines repeatedly is the essential condition of a person with OCD. In general, it is known and described by someone who is extremely perfectionist and meticulous. Unfortunately, they do realize those habits and be able to stop doing it. Common behaviors are such as checking locks, doors, stove bottoms, and lights, hand washing, counting things, or having recurrent intrusive thoughts of hurting oneself or somebody else.

Always washing your hands? Or perhaps you are always counting things or checking things. Are these actions taking over your life or constantly occupying your mind? Perhaps you have obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). It was once thought that OCD was rare; however, recently it has been found that 2-3% (or 7 million Americans) of people have OCD. People with OCD are usually diagnosed by between the ages of 20 and 30, and about 75% of those who will develop OCD will show symptoms by age 30. (1) This leads to a couple questions that need to be answered: What is OCD? What causes it, and what is the most effective treatment? These questions will be answered throughout the paper.

I have never nor do I know anyone who suffers from Obsession-Compulsive Disorder. When I first began my research, I didn’t know what to expect. I have now found that O.C.D. is more common than I originally thought. We meet and talk to people of all walks of life and see only what the other person wants to see. Most people are secretive, shameful and hide their illness. Some people with O.C.D. are aware of their condition and others know that something is different about them.

In the movie, “As Good As it Gets”, Jack Nicholson’s character Melvin, has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or also known as OCD. This disorder is critically crippling to him. It limits him from everything that he does. It also changes the way he reacts to other individuals in his life. When situations don’t go perfectly according to his plan and the way that he sees it, he gets upset with who or whatever changes it. He has a strict ritualistic nature and has a particular order in which he does everything throughout the day.

Imagine feeling like a slave in your own body. Being forced to do ridiculous rituals and having constant compulsions to do things that you know don’t make sense. This is what it is like to live with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In the United States alone, over 2 million people suffer from OCD (Parks, 2011) but no one has found the cause of this disorder. It affects people of all races, genders and socioeconomic backgrounds (Parks, 2011). Since it’s discovery and modern conceptualization, there has been an ongoing debate whether OCD is caused by environmental factors or if it is inherited through genetics. However, since both sides of the debate raise a solid argument and there is not enough hard evidence, the source of the disorder

OCD has existed for many centuries, it goes far back to the 14th and 16th century, though the disorder had not yet been discovered. Back then, when one had the symptoms of OCD such as obsessions, compulsions, and irrelevant thoughts, it was believed that person was being possessed by outside forces such as the devil or demons. This resulted in exorcising the sufferer of said symptoms which was considered the best and most popular treatment method at the time. During the first half of the 19th century, OCD changed due to alterations medical thinking. At first, OCD symptoms were thought of a type of dementia or madness. This led to further investigations.

Many famous people throughout history lived a life with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It’s been the center focus of many films, such as Matchstick Men (2003) that centered around a phobic con artist played by Nicolas Cage. The main character suffered from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Agoraphobia. A combination that left the character in an anxiety riddled isolation triggered by an emotional revelation. Hollywood doesn’t often shine a positive or accurate light on psychological disorders.

In the movie, “As Good As It Gets” Jack Nicolson plays a character who suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The characters name is Melvin Udall. In the beginning of the film, Melvin is extremely insensitive and arrogant while suffering from OCD. By the end of the film he is more caring and compassionate and suffers a little less from his disorder. In the movie Melvin is a writer in New York, he has an artist neighbor, named Simon, who is hospitalized after a horrible beating when he walks in on a robbery in his home. Reluctantly, Melvin is forced to watch Simons dog while he recovers and eventually lets Simon move in with him. As part of his routine, Melvin eats breakfast at the same

Hollywood has a way of exaggerating topics due to the fact that entertainment is more profitable than education. That being said, the movie, As Good as It Gets, brings up valid points pertaining to anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and treatment methods. The movie portrays a character, Mr. Melvin Udall, who battles with OCD and has no concern for social constructs. Through unintended exposure caused by life events, Melvin is able to experience effective change and growth. Melvin possesses all of the stereotypical characteristics of OCD.

I have always been fascinated with behavioral disorders, especially OCD. I learned about OCD a few years ago when I was reading a medical journal. At first, it seemed like something very odd. The idea that otherwise normal people can do such strange things, and not be able to control themselves was fascinating. I wanted to know more about this topic, which is why I chose to write my paper on it. I thought that by knowing more about the subject, I will be able to better understand how these people’s lives can be literally taken over by their constant worries and anxiety. Also, I think a lot of people exhibit these behaviors and aren’t even aware that they may have a severe problem, and more importantly, that they can be getting help to

Wow, its sad to see a person that you love to be in that situation. OCD is a disorder in which a person can not control their thoughts and behaviors. In addition, in the video shows few people with the same disorder, but with different symptoms and behavior. The most interesting person in this case is Brigitte, because her OCD told her that her family was contaminated and she couldn't get close to her family, which led her family to take her to her grandmother’s house while she was going through therapy to get her back home. OCD made her changed her lifestyle drastically, as well as her family. This disorder makes the patient and their love ones go through a lot of distress, because they do not know why the person is acting like that and how

Melvin Udall is a resourceful, bad-tempered, yet wealthy writer of romantic fiction suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder. Compulsively, he alienates and is rude to the vast majority of the people whom he interacts with. In addition, he goes through his everyday breakfast ritual of eating at the same restaurant, sitting at the same table, and bringing his own disposable utensils. Consequently, Melvin develops a special fascination in Carol Connelly, a server at the restaurant who is the only person who can tolerate his behavior.

Marcus is a twenty two year old man who is a philosophy student. While writing a paper on justice in ancient Egypt, Marcus has found himself preoccupied with the dust on his computer screen. Marcus has extreme worries about the dust on his screen. These are obsessive thoughts that keep running through his head. Marcus tries to calm his thoughts by cleaning his computer screen every hour. This is consistent with compulsions that help ease some anxiety. Marcus knows that his thoughts are weird, but cannot stop them unless he cleans his laptop. Marcus’s symptoms of OCD are correct.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, involves anxious thoughts or rituals one feels and can't control. . For many years, OCD was thought to be rare. The actual number of people with OCD was hidden, because people would hide their problem to avoid embarrassment. Some recent studies show that as many as 3 million Americans ages 18 to 54 may have OCD at any one time. This is about 2.3% of the people in this age group. It strikes men and women in approximately equal numbers and usually first appears in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. One-third of adults with OCD report having experienced their first symptoms as children. The course of the disease is variable. Symptoms may come

This case study was particularly fascinating in following the life of Karen Rusa and her obsessive compulsion disorder. It is interesting to study her childhood, present life, on-set symptoms she was experiencing, and the treatment she underwent. Though Karen withstood various trials that her OCD and depression effected greatly, I believe she received the best treatment to help her recover.