OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Causes and Treatments
The definition of an anxiety disorder is a psychological disorder characterized by distressing, persistent or maladaptive behaviors that reduce anxiety (Myers). This definition includes many disorders such as phobias, post traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, is “an anxiety disorder characterize by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions)” (National Institute of Mental Health [NIHM], n.d.). Obsessive compulsive disorder is most common in teens and young adults and effects two to three percent of adult Americans at some point in their life.
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Our genes can predispose us to develop anxiety disorders, so OCD can run in families, but no one is certain why some people develop the disorder and others don’t. According to the article What Causes Personality Disorders childhood trauma is said to have an effect on who develops personality disorders. Our interpretation of what is around us plays a large roll on what we see threatening and anxiety inducing. For a person with OCD a tiled floor may turn into a task of not stepping on a crack, or counting the tiles. Natural selection can dictate what a person’s obsessions or compulsions are. While grooming and hand washing are important parts of hygiene they can develop into a compulsion
Anxiety is an extreme mental disorder when an anxious feeling does not subside and is constantly ongoing without a particular reason (Blue, 2016). This mental health condition can be extremely serious and overwhelming and makes it very hard to cope with daily life (Blue, 2016).
Based upon the video, Leanne most likely has an obsessive-compulsive disorder 300.3 (F42.2). When I watched the video, I instantly noticed that she is fidgeting her fingers and shaking her legs, during her interview. She has self-diagnosed herself with this disorder. Leanne mentioned that she started seeing signs when she was about 14 or 15 years old. She has recurrent and persistent urges. She would do things in a particular order. The compulsion would start out small and be unbothersome, like packing her school bag a certain way, to then, being bothersome and taking up more time out of her day. It had gotten worse to the point when it started to stop her from going out. She cannot leave the house without checking multiple times if the house is locked. She would end up return home and turn the door handle to assure her that the door is locked. She went back and forth multiple times, in which she repeated turned the door noob. In the video, I
Researchers have also linked specific genes in peoples DNA with those who suffer from OCD. These genes are considered risk genes and it is believed that these genes give people predispositions to certain OCD like behaviors. While no one specific gene causes OCD many different ones can contribute. Studies are still being conducted to determine how OCD could be treated better than it is today. Scientists have begun working with the idea that you DNA can be manipulated even after you are born. If a breakthrough were to come around it might be possible to solve countless mental and physical disorders including OCD. Some day it might even become possible to identify OCD genes in zygotes and eliminate said genes before the child is born. One of the biggest developments in OCD treatment occurred when an OCD patient’s cingulum was partially severed. Afterward it was found that his tendencies to act on his OCD were greatly lessened. Genetics is still a relatively new field and not to many breakthroughs have occurred. It may just happen that a few years down the road from now we determine that genetics are the sole reason for OCD. Until then OCD will always be involved in the debate between nature and nurture.
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.
I interview a mother, Cathy and a seventeen year old girl, Kate. The health issue we chose to discuss was Kate’s Obsessive-Compulsive disorder (OCD).
The assigned article of this week is about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder titled Two-Way Mirror: Facing a Daughter’s O.C.D by Beth Boyle Machlan. To clarify the definition of OCD, there are two main features of the disorder: one is obsessions meaning “persistent and intrusive thoughts, ideas, impulses, or images”, another is compulsions which include “repetitive, purposeful, and intentional behaviors or mental acts that are performed in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly” (lecture). In the article, there is a girl named Lucy who may have OCD, and the article seems wrote by her mother. Lucy’s mom has been suffer from depression and bipolar, and Lucy has a history of Tic disorder (article). The story basically depicted in detail about Lucy’s first session with the doctor, Clark, regarding her OCD.
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
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
The answer to what causes Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is not a simple one. Studies have shown a clear link to it being a biologically based (Stanford). It can be linked to both biochemical imbalances in the brain and abnormal brain functioning (OCDA). OCD also has clear familial connections. It is far more likely to suffer from OCD if someone with a genetic connection also suffers from the disorder. However, psychological factors and personal experiences have also been rumored to trigger its onset.
There are three main theories for this disorder. The first one is based on biology its been shown that patients with Obsessive Compulsive disorder have abnormal frontal cortex and some areas below the cortex. Some believe these abnormalities could cause the behaviors. Another theories believes that there is a gene that causes OCD. It is thought because people with relative that have OCD are much more likely to inherit the disease. The final theory is a person environment can cause Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, especially since the majority of the time it starts in childhood. It is believed that people who had an abusive, traumatic or stressful childhood could present the symptoms of
Obsessive-Compulsive disorder is defined in my textbook as a disorder of repetitive, uncontrollable, thoughts or urges that are followed up by repetitive behaviors or mental acts that the person feels compelled to perform. The thing people are often unaware of when talking about obsessive compulsive disorder is that obsessions and compulsions are two totally separate things that happen with this disorder. The obsessions are the thoughts in this disorder defined in the book as intrusive and recurring thoughts, images, or impulses that are persistent and uncontrollable they often feel irrational to the person experiencing them. The compulsions are the behaviors that occur in this disorder defined in the textbook as repetitive, clearly excessive
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.
OCD is now a distant friend, whom I see rarely. When necessary, meditating is able to quell any waves of anxiety. It allows me to gain back my sense of control, as my thoughts, mood, and breathing are in the palms of my hands. My means of recovery is now a daily tool. OCD defined me as a person. Without it, I am able to define
Client meets criteria for a diagnosis of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder with good or fair insight. While client believed that something bad would actually happen if she did not engage in obsessive behaviors she also sees the ‘stupidity,’ as the client puts it, in her actions. She now understands that these behaviors do no make any sense but, before, treatment, feared that her grandmother might get sick if she did not wash her hands. Client would be scared of what would happen if she did not perform these tasks.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, also known as OCD, is a disorder that affects about two to three percent of the population (UOCD). Knowing what OCD is and who it affects is just step one in understanding the psychology of this disorder. The psychological symptoms of OCD can be quite varied which can make it difficult to diagnose. Understanding the therapy techniques and how people with OCD live their daily lives is one of the most vital part in the psychology of OCD. While the roots of the disorder may be complex, understanding the disorder in everyday life is quite simple.