Essay on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Nutrition

While over 2.2 million Americans suffer from OCD the causes of this disorder are still not very well understood in the scientific

Cymbalta (Duloxetine) is a Serotonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (SNRI) use to treat depression (Breggin, 2013). There are several therapeutic and biological alternatives being implemented to control hopelessness. Many researcher are recommending other types of treatments before psychotropic therapy is implemented (O 'Mathuna & Larimore, 2010). Some of the therapeutic alternatives are Reflexology, Craniosacral Therapy (CST), Acupuncture, Exercise, Meditation and Direct Amino Acid Therapy Maintenance (Keegan, 2001). St John’s Wort, Passionflower, Valerian and Omega 3 fatty acids are a few of the biological options available to combat depression (Keegan, 2001). The dietary supplements tryptophan and

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.

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.

Millions of people suffer from depression, and a lot of those choose not to treat their depression with traditional medicine, instead reaching for a natural alternative. Dietary supplements are becoming more and more popular instead of using drugs to treat numerous medical problems, and depression, anxiety, and panic attacks are no different. When a supplement can treat depression as well as help with other medical concerns, it can quickly become popular. If you suffer from any of these problems and want to try to treat yourself without turning to a medical doctor for traditional medication, read on to find out more about St. John's wort and how millions of people are using it to naturally treat themselves.

Some psychologists like to argue OCD from the nurture perspective. They believe that the environment around you and your upbringing is what

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that is the fourth most common mental illness in the U.S. (8). OCD affects five million Americans, or one in five people (3). This is a serious mental disorder that causes people to think and act certain things repetitively in order to calm the anxiety produced by a certain fear. Unlike compulsive drinking or gambling, OCD compulsions do not give the person pleasure; rather, the rituals are performed to obtain relief from the discomfort caused by obsessions (2). OCD is more common than schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or panic disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (6). This disorder can be therapeutically treated, but not cured.

The most studied and most useful agent historically has been haloperidol (Campbell, 1987), which is known to improve many of the aberrant behaviors of PDDs. Other studies have also focused on the effects of opioid blockers and serotonin reuptake inhibitors. (McDougle, 1997).

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, also known as OCD, is a psychiatric anxiety disorder that is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts along with repetitive behaviors. These unwanted thoughts are called obsessions and the repetitive behaviors are called compulsions. Repetitive behaviors such as hand washing, checking, counting, and cleaning are usually performed with the hope of making these obsessive thoughts go away or even preventing them. These repetitive behaviors are often referred to as ‘rituals’. People with OCD perform these rituals to help deal with the anxiety that the obsessions cause. These rituals only provide temporary relief for the person and usually end up controlling their life. About one in every fifty adults have

As a result of a successful study on omega-3 fatty acids in adult major depressive disorder, they were determined to investigate the benefits omega-3 fatty acids have in childhood major depression. Major depressive disorder is common in children and adolescents. Frequently, it appears with poor psychosocial outcome, comorbid conditions, and high risk of suicide and substance abuse, which indicate that the condition needs to be treated. Researchers found that omega-3 fatty acids were effective in adult depression as an add-on therapy, and they inferred that it would have the similar effects in pediatric patients. The participants selected for this study were children between the ages of 6 and 12, and were submitted to the omega-3 trial for 16 weeks. Participants with unstable physical illness or psychiatric disorders other than anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dysthymia, or tic syndrome were excluded from the study. All participants needed at least one parent’s written informed consent and the consenting parent’s commitment to inform the other parent. The IV in this study was the Omega-3 acids treatment, and the DVs were the children with depressive disorder. Patients received two 500 mg or one 1,000 mg capsule of the treatment daily for 16 weeks, depending on their ability to

A link between anxiety disorders and an imbalance in certain neurotransmitters may be present. The neurotransmitters that regulate anxiety such as noradrenaline, serotonin and Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) may contribute to anxiety disorders. The areas of the brain that are affected by anxiety disorder are the forebrain, limbic system, locus coeruleus, dorsal, hippocampus, and the amygdala. The forebrain is the most affected area of the brain in subjects with anxiety disorder. The limbic system is thought to affect the central role of processing anxiety-related information. Also, people with obsessive compulsive disorder often show increased brain activity within the basal nuclei (Lundbeck Institute, 2008.)

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder with a lifetime prevalence of 2 to 3 percent and is estimated to be the 10th leading cause of disability in the world. Patients with OCD experience recurrent, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive, stereotyped behaviors (compulsions) that last for at least one hour per day and significantly interfere with the individual 's normal level of functioning. The intrusive obsessional thoughts

Anxiety Disorders are characterized by many symptoms and often associated with depressive tendencies. Although the majority are produced in a person based off of their genetic material, other influences exist environmentally that can encourage or discourage the severity of the symptoms and prognosis it has on one’s overall well-being. Early diagnosis and a systematic combination of treatments can help reduce the tensions and encourage a more normal life than what was previously experienced by the person with the disorder.

It is confident to say that biological factor must play a vital role in the cause of OCD therefore the cause of OCD can be considered as a reductionist disorder. However, in my opinion, biological explanations such as unbalanced level of certain neurotransmitter must have vital influence in order to contribute an individual to experience such disorder. But the lacks of the concordance rate across the human population is not 100%, therefore we cannot determine that the biological explanation is the only factor in fact it must the cause of OCD must be taking all other approaches such as cognitive and behavioural into account. For example, an individual with low level of serotonin and high level of dopamine can be seen as ‘potential’ or ‘more likely’ to diagnose with OCD, however if the patient do not trigger the disorder with other factor, such as having the negative outcome with the certain stimulus the patient will not be suffer and experience OCD. With all the evidences gather by the biological approach into OCD, such reductionistic approach with the important implication is that it is to help an individual to prevent from OCD or with the Biological therapy (i.e SSRIs) can treat the client with the most appropriate treatment with the combination of increasing the level of serotonin and further treatment can be ERP in order for a client to permanent relief

Obsessive – Compulsion disorder is again another type of anxiety disorder characterized by repeated or uncontrollable thoughts and compulsions that seem to be impossible to stop or control. People that have OCD often do things such as washing their hands, checking, counting, and cleaning to avoid the obsessive thought. The causes of OCD are still being researched, but OCD is now being associated with neurobiology, but is no longer being associated with childhood experiences. OCD occupies 2 percent of the United States’ population in a given year. However OCD can be linked with other mental and physical disorders such as: depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD,) and some anxiety disorders.