Obsessive Compulsive Eating Disorder Essay

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a pattern of recurring obsessions and compulsions that are severe enough to be time consuming and interfere with a person’s daily functioning. They must cause marked distress (such as pain or physical harm to the person) or significant impairment. Usually, they take more than

After being diagnosed with OCD, all the authors either took medication, often an antidepressant, participated in therapy, or both.  Both Summers and Street at first dismissed the idea of taking drugs but later gave in (Summers 139+; Street 72+).  The therapy in most cases was quite similar.  The authors' therapists had them do things that were against their compulsions, such as only washing their hands once.  This therapy was used to show the patients that the things they thought would happen to them if they didn't complete their obsessions were just thoughts (Lanning 58+).  Many of the authors were not exactly thrilled about the therapy, but without it their

According to psych central website’s article, OCD is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent and disturbing thoughts (called obsessions) and/or repetitive, ritualized behaviors that the person feels driven to perform (called compulsions).

There are a wide range of OCD symptoms, but unfortunately, research has showed that there is a long waiting process between the time when an individual begins with OCD symptoms and when they get first-time treatment. With an early diagnosis and treatment, the maximum benefit to the patient will be. Therapies, exercises, balanced-healthy nutrition and others will improved life style and reduce anxiety and fears to help in managing some aspects of an obsessive-compulsive

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 list goes on and on. The truth is that it is not known why the disorder begins or what each individual experiences while consumed with these disorders, but we do know that recovery is possible. A supportive friend and family base, along with education in early childhood seems to be a logical step in the right direction.

"OCD patients have a pattern of distressing and senseless thoughts or ideas- obsessions- that repeatedly well up in their minds. To quell the distressing thoughts, specific patterns of odd behaviors- compulsions- develop." (Gee & Telew, 1999)

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

Persistent fears that harm may come to self or a loved one, an unreasonable belief that one has a terrible illness, or an excessive need to do things correctly or perfectly, are common. Again and again, the individual experiences a disturbing thought, such as, "My hands may be contaminated--I must wash them"; "I may have left the gas on"; or "I am going to injure my child." These thoughts are intrusive, unpleasant, and produce a high degree of anxiety. Often the obsessions are of a violent or a sexual nature, or concern illness.

Many patients believe that they somehow caused themselves to have these compulsive behaviors and obsessive thoughts. According to Neziraglu (1999), this is completely untrue; OCD is likely caused by a number of intertwined and complex factors which include genetics, biology, personality development, and how a person learns to react to

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.

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 is influenced by neurological factors with symptoms such as repeating steps, continuously washing their hands, and having a fear of objects like germs. Although there is no cure, there are treatments such as medication and therapy that can help lessen the patient’s anxiety and discomfort.

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.

     While today, Freud’s theory behind OCD has been completely disproved, that was one of the first documented cases of the disease. According to Marc Summers’ book Everything In Its