Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a disease that many people know of, but few people know about. Many people associate repeated washing of hands, or flicking of switches, and even cleanliness with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), however there are many more symptoms, and there are also explanations for those symptoms. In this paper, I will describe what obsessive compulsive disorder is, explain some of the effects of it, and explain why it happens. I will also attempt to prove that while medication doesn’t cure OCD, it vastly improves one’s quality of life. Furthermore I intend to show that behavior therapy (cognitive based therapy) is another useful tool in helping a person to overcome their OCD.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, also known as just simply OCD, affects from 1% to more than 5% of the total population. This paper gives an overview of current diagnosis criteria, statistical data, causes of the disorder as well as current treatment options. While in the past, most clinicians use drug therapy to treat OCD patients, today treatment options are focusing on a combination of psychological therapy combined with drug therapy in an effort to address underlying problems causing the manifestation of OCD while still treating the symptoms of the disorder.

Pooh demonstrates two different disorders: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This poor little brown bear “embodies the concept of comorbidity” (Shea, 2000). It is also thought that Pooh may exhibit certain traits of impulsivity. This can be demonstrated by his relentless attempts to obtain honey. Most notably, his poorly thought out attempt to get honey from a bee tree by disguising himself as a raincloud (Milne, 1926; Milne 1928; Reitherman, 1977). While this could be thought of as impulsivity, it would also be viewed as his cognitive impairment, in combination with his obsessive fixation with honey.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is defined as a “disorder in which intruding, recurring thoughts or obsessions create anxiety that is relieved by performing a repetitive, ritualistic behavior or mental act (compulsion)” (Ciccarelli & White, 2012, p.543). OCD is a neuropsychiatric disorder that once was considered to be rare (Stein, 2002). Today it affects two to three percent of people across the globe (Treating obsessive-compulsive, 2009). It is a disorder that is “equally common in males and females” as adults, but for children, obsessive-compulsive disorder seems to appear more in boys than girls (American Psychiatric Association, 2000, p.459). OCD has a lifetime prevalence of 2.5% in adults, and a 1%-2.3% prevalence in children (American Psychiatric Association, 2002). These results were based on community studies and appear to be similar in cultures that exist all over the world (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). According to the Solomon & Grant (2014), the World Health Organization classifies obsessive-compulsive disorder as the “leading global cause of nonfatal illness” (p.646).

Obsessive compulsion disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder described by irrational thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead you to do repetitive tasks (compulsions) (Obsessive Compulsion Disorder, 2013). When a person has obsessive-compulsive disorder, they may realize that their obsessions aren't accurate, and they may try to overlook them but that only increases their suffering and worry. Eventually, you feel driven to perform compulsive acts to ease your stressful feelings. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is often driven by a reason, cause, or fear for example, a fear of germs. To calm the feeling of this fear, a person may compulsively wash their hands until they're sore and chapped. Despite their efforts, thoughts of obsessive-compulsive behavior keep coming back. This leads to more ritualistic behavior and a brutal cycle of obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD is the fourth most common mental disorder, and is diagnosed nearly as often as asthma and diabetes (Who We Are, 2012). In the United States, one in 50 adults suffers from OCD. Obsessive compulsive disorder affects children, adolescents, and adults. About one third to one half of adults with OCD report a childhood onset of the disorder, they felt these anxieties but were not diagnosed or felt no need to be diagnosed until the compulsions over whelmed them (Who We Are, 2012). The phrase obsessive compulsive has been used to describe excessively meticulous, perfectionistic, absorbed, or otherwise fixated person. While

The movie, “As Good As It Gets”, portrays the symptoms of OCD quite accurately. Heredity plays a major role in the etiology of OCD. The main character, Melvin described his father as a reclusive man who never left the house for 11 years. His father was also physically abusive, striking Melvin on the hands as he practiced piano. His childhood set the stage for struggles with OCD. According to the DSM- 5, Melvin displayed the obsessive and compulsive symptoms of OCD. His obsessions included, washing his hands, disposing of soaps and gloves after use, avoidance of human contact and protection from touch with gloves and avoidance of public spaces and buildings where he could be contaminated. Examples of his compulsions were the perfect ordered possessions in his apartment, the 3 times he turns each lock when entering his apartment and turning the lights on and off five

“The central feature of obsessive-compulsive disorder is a preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, interpersonal, and mental control” (Whiston, 2013, p.275). Obsessions is defined as thoughts, images, impulses, and ideas that reoccur and interfere with the normal day activities. Compulsions is defined as repeated behaviors to reduce an individual’s anxiety. An anxiety disorder, could be one with repetitive thoughts and behavioral rituals that can be completely disabling (Psychology Today, 2015, para. 1). In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, personality disorders and

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is known to be an anxiety disorder that causes repetitiveness that are uncontrollable and performed by an individual. The thoughts and behaviors are usually irrational but an individual may feel unable to resist them. Some examples of OCD are washing of hands and locking the door over and over again.

OCD is characterized by unreasonable thoughts and fears that lead the client to do repetitive or compulsive behaviors. Clients may only have obsessions or compulsions and still be diagnosed with OCD. The client may not be aware that his/her obsessions are not reasonable or he/she may try to ignore them or stop them all together. In doing this it will increase his/her distress or anxiety. The client may feel driven to perform compulsive acts in an effort to decrease the stressful feelings. Client’s obsessions are often centered around specific themes, such as the fear of being contaminated by germs, he/she may feel the urge to wash their hands until they become sore and/or chapped.

To show the commonality of OCD in our society, it’s important to know specific cases of well-known people; especially for those who do feel alone in their feelings. According to (Famous, 2014), world renowned soccer player, David Beckham, is one of the most highly

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disorder that causes someone to have unwanted and troubling thoughts and repetitive behaviors (Lack, 2012). People may self-diagnose themselves to be obsessive compulsive. But people with obsessive compulsive disorder need to spend at least 1 hour daily on obsessive thoughts and rituals (Ellyson, 2014). This disorder is broken into two parts. The first part is obsessions, thoughts or images, and the second part is compulsions, the repetitive behaviors caused by the obsessions (Brakoulias, 2015). An example of obsessive compulsive disorder would be someone checking the locked door multiple times to reduce anxiety about forgetting to lock the door. On average 5% of the population has subclinical symptoms which are considered to be symptoms that are not disruptive enough to meet criteria to be diagnosed obsessive compulsive (Lack, 2012). Dropping what you’re doing to go back and check if your curling iron is unplugged is an example of a subclinical symptom. This paper will discuss what obsessive compulsive disorder is and provide a brief history. It will also include current treatments, suggestions on how to treat the disorder, and a summary.

In the field of Psychology there are a number of psychological disorders as well categories in which these disorders are placed. Psychological disorders are categorized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; the manual is now in its fifth edition, which is known as the DSM-5. In the DSM-5, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is categorized with other compulsive disorders. Obsessive-Compulsive disorder, also known as OCD, is a condition “marked by persistent, uncontrollable intrusions of unwanted thoughts or obsessions and urges to engage in senseless rituals called compulsions” (Weiten, 2015). Some examples of these obsessions or urges include persistent hand washing, counting, and extensive checking such as if doors are locked or ovens are turned off. In OCD some of the actions performed by those who suffer from the disorder become very intrusive and become a factor that interrupts their daily lives and may cause problems at home, work, in relationships and more (Baldridge, 2016). The number of individuals who suffer from this disorder ranges form 2 to 3 percent of the population (Weiten, 2015). People typically begin suffering from OCD between late childhood and early adulthood (Baldridge, 2016). The onset of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder often occurs following a stressful life event (Baldridge, 2016). In order to meet the criteria for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder the compulsions and obsessions must cause distress and cause an

To begin with, the causes of OCD are various. Biological factor are closely related with this mental disease. More specifically, there is circuit in the brain which is responsible for some aspects of our behavior like sexuality, aggression etc. When this specific circuit is active these desires ae appeared and pushed the person to act in a specific way, with a particular behavior, according to this desire. For instance, if you go to the bathroom then you ill wash your hands. If you suffer from OCD, the brain will not be able to stop the impulses of the circuit so you will feel unable to stop the specific action (washing the hands).

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, is a mental health disorder have causes one to have overly aggressive obsessions and compulsions. Most 2.3% of the population between ages 18-54 suffer from OCD (“What Is OCD?”6). Many people think this is a common disorder, only because they think they have an idea of what is really is. The main questions people have are what it is, and how is it treated. There is also a big debate on whether OCD is a mental health issue or just a way of life.

Imagine if most of your day were spent thinking thoughts like—Did I wash my hand properly? Will this food make me ill if I eat it? Did I lock the door? — and have to reassure yourself by washing your hand 80 or more times, not eating at all because you fear of getting food poisoning, and/or having to check the door to see if it is locked 50 or more times before going to bed. These type of thoughts and behaviors are seen as abnormal or crazy to most people who have not dealt with mental illness. However, for sufferers of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) these thoughts and behaviors persist throughout their daily lives. OCD is an illness that presents obsessive thoughts and repeating the compulsive behavior in order to repress an anxiety attack provoked by worries and fear brought on by the obsessive thoughts. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) describes OCD as a recurrent “obsessions, compulsions, or both, the severity of which is significant enough to cause distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning” (Townshed, 2014, pp. 469).