Obsessive Complusive Disorder Essay

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.

One of the more compelling theories of the cause of OCD is the serotonin theory. Two different theories based on serotonin are more prominent than the rest. Giddens (2009) explains the theory by stating that OCD is caused from a lack of a chemical substance called serotonin (a neurotransmitter). Her theory is supported by the use of drugs that increase the amount of serotonin in the brain which relieve many symptoms of OCD. On the other hand, Penzel (2000) describes the serotonin theory as a disrupted transmission of serotonin. When the serotonin is being returned to it’s vesicle chamber, the last step of neural-transmission takes place prematurely, which then causes a brain dysfunction and forms compulsions. Though both serotonin theories do not agree with each other, both theories argue on behalf of nature in the nature versus nurture debate since serotonin and the lack or faulty

A person with obsessive-compulsive disorder may choose between two main treatments: medications and psychotherapy. Though you can choose which one of them suits your needs best, a combination of the two is often found to be most effective in dealing with OCD symptoms.

Once considered a rare condition, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder ( OCD ) now affects millions of people globally and it is considered to be the fourth most common mental illness in many western countries that will affect men, women, and children regardless of their race, religion, nationality or socio-economic group ("How Common Is OCD?" 1). Obsessive - Compulsive Disorder is a type of anxiety disorder characterized by persistent and anxiety-provoking thoughts and repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to diminish anxiety and distress brought by obsessions. Despite the development of theories and in depth researches, scientists are still unable to identify the definite cause of OCD. While some scientists believe that it is due to the

People with OCD show differences in brain activity compared to other people. They also have less white matter in the brain than normal people. These results have been obtained using brain-imaging machines.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), is a mental condition that affects more than three million (1-3%) people in the US. While most all people have some form of obsession or even compulsion, those who suffer from OCD have constant tormenting thoughts and intrusions that affect the way they function in daily living. Most cases are diagnosed during childhood and last throughout the life of the patient if proper treatment is not sought. While the disorder affects both men and women, it is more common in males and has an earlier onset age. Involved in having OCD are both obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted thoughts, urges, or mental images that cause fear or worry for

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a sometimes disabling problem that catches people in endless cycles of redundant thoughts and behaviors. People with OCD have haunting thoughts or fears that continue repeating over and over in their mind that they can't control. The anxiety created by these thoughts lead to an urgent need to perform certain things or routines. People usually repeat these rituals in an attempt to stop the obsessive thoughts and make them go away. The thoughts or fears may go away momentarily but before long the thoughts will come back. In some cases, an obsession can get so bad as to take up hours of a persons life a day. An obsession can build until it will start to interfere with a persons normal activities. Most people with obsessive-compulsive disorder recognize that their disorder is odd and excessive,

According to Pozza, Anderson, and Dèttore (2015), obsessive compulsive disorder(OCD) is a psychological condition representing repetitive behaviors, compulsions, and impulses which can lead to a lower quality of life. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a disorder that often goes undiagnosed and untreated because of its ranges of severity and lack of awareness on the end of the individual. Some of the symptoms can be written off as a normal habit, or a superstitious practice. Many people do not ever seek out psychological help for this disorder, even though it could significantly increase their quality of life. Another commonly overlooked symptom

Obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD, is characterized as having symptoms of uncontrollable obsessions that lead the individual to experience symptoms of anxiety. The patient then experiences compulsions in attempt to relieve the anxiety. People with OCD experience repeat behaviors or thoughts that interfere with completing basic daily activities and tasks. The disorders symptoms debilitate the patient’s

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is believed to affect approximately 2.2 million adults in America (NIMH). In the past, it’s been referred to as obsessive-compulsive neurosis and is similar to arithomomania, mysophobia, and délire du toucher. It is an anxiety disorder that is diagnosed between the ages of seven and twelve, but is prevalent throughout childhood and into adulthood. People with OCD develop a variety of compulsions in order to cope with their irrational obsessions, which vary with all cases, and can cause other conditions that negatively impact every day life. This disorder is treatable and can be subsided with medication.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an abnormal disorder that is accompanied by the presence of obsessions, compulsions, or both (5th ed.; DSM-5). The obsession is an idea, image, or impulse, whilst the compulsion is the resulting behavior, often an attempt to contend with the anxiety that results from their obsession; obsessions consist of thoughts or images particularly distressing for the individual to endure, and therefore compel the individual to engage in abnormal behavior – compulsions – to alleviate the anxiety that results from said distress (Thomas-Cottingham, Ph.D., 2004). However, the alleviation provided by the compulsion is only temporarily, ergo the individual must perform the behaviors repeatedly; common compulsive

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder(OCD), according to the American Psychiatric Association, is defined as "an anxiety disorder in which time-consuming obsessions and compulsions significantly interfere with a person’s routine, making it difficult to work or to have a normal social life." This, in layman's terms, is simply unwanted thoughts, and actions that cause anxiety, impairment, or distress at the job, in relationships and in society. The most common types of OCD are categorized by: Checking, which refers to an intrusive thought that if one does not check, for example, stove knobs, or if the lights are off, that something bad may occur. This leads one to the compulsion to check such things, and in doing so relieves the anxiety one may have

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a common psychological disorder that is often associated with misconstrued stereotypes. OCD is considered an anxiety disorder consisting of obsessions that are often combined with compulsions. These obsessions are usually recurrent and persistent specific thoughts and be urges. Compulsions make up the second part of OCD. They are repetitive behaviors performed according to rigid rules that are completed in an attempt to help prevent obsessions from becoming true. The compulsions are maintained by negative reinforcement meaning that the patient continues to perform the compulsions because the obsessions are prevented. This idea forces the patient to continue the vicious cycle of performing compulsions to prevent

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

Obsessive compulsive disorder also known as OCD, is an anxiety disorder. People who have this disorder have repetitive thoughts and behaviors that they cannot control. A chemical imbalance of the neurotransmitter serotonin throws off communication in the brain. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (2015), it can also cause impulses that manifest through obsessions, ideas, and images. The next part of this disorder is compulsions. These are the behaviors that people who have this disorder perform in order to get rid of the uncontrollable thoughts and feelings.