References:. Akhtar S, Wig Nn, Vama Vk, Pershad D, Verma

Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves a chemical imbalance in the brain. This chemical imbalance is thought to be the main reason for obsessions and compulsions, although there may be other factors as well.  Nearly one in every fifty people suffers from symptoms of OCD ("Escape"), and approximately 5 million Americans are affected by

As time has progressed, light has been shed on the causes and symptoms of mental disorders. Like many mental disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder was once linked to dissociation with religious beliefs. In the seventeenth century OCD was seen as a symptom of being isolated from religion and religious practices. It wasn’t until the nineteenth century that obsessive-compulsive disorder began to be recognized as a mental disorder unrelated to religion. The route to this recognition began as stated by Koran (2007) by distinguishing obsessions from delusions and compulsions from impulsions. The source of the disorder, however, was still a matter to be argued on. The idea that OCD was a result of any level of insanity was disregarded after the mid-eighteen hundreds. For the most part, French psychiatrists believed it was a result of an emotional distress and “volitional” defects but not before placing it in a very broad spectrum of many other phobias we see today. German Psychiatrists, on the other hand, associated OCD with an issue on the intellectual level and as Magnan (1835-1916) put it, OCD was the “psychosis of degeneration.”

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental disorder which it symptoms are having routines, or thoughts repeatedly with no ability to avoid the fear and stop them. Some people are aware of those habits, and they realize that those rituals do not make sense, but there is no an easy way to get out of them. Counting all the clothes, shoes, magazines and lie in in a straight line are illustrations when obsessive-compulsive symptoms arrive.

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.

Current diagnostic criteria for SaraBeth’s disorders is better explained by criterion A – D in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and criterion A – E in Anxiety Disorder due to another medical condition. OCD criteria A requires that the individual have the presence of obsession and/or compulsions. SaraBeth reports obsessions of recurrent and persistent thoughts about harm coming to her parents and although she had attempted to ignore these thoughts she continues with performing her compulsions. SaraBeth’s compulsions are evident by reported repetitive behaviors of performing ritual prayers, persistent checking on the iron and stove and although SaraBeth can admit that her fear is unrealistic, she continues the compulsions in order to feel better or to relieve oneself. Criteria B requires that the obsessions and/or compulsions be time-consuming (more than one hour) or cause clinically significant distress or impairments in important areas of function. SaraBeth has stated that can spend three to four hours during the day engaged in checking behaviors. Criteria C entails that the obsessions-compulsive symptoms are not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance or another medical condition. SaraBeth currently has no indication of a medical condition or substance use prior to the first onset of her obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Criteria D requires that the disturbance not better explained by the symptoms of another medical condition. Currently there is no evidence

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by an individual experiencing intrusive thoughts, images, or worries in addition to repetitive, non-functional behaviours that emerge in an effort to suppress anxiety (i.e. compulsions) (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Symptoms are often time-consuming, and can cause considerable functional impairments, contribute to increased social isolation, persistent distress and stigma. Although average age of onset of OCD has typically been thought to occur in early adulthood (Minichiello et al., 1990), there is increasing evidence that children as early as 10 years old experience it (Geller, 2001). Recently, more attention has been directed toward the identification and treatment of OCD symptoms in children and adolescents (Penn et al., 1992; Rapoport and Inoff-Germain, 2000). Childhood OCD has been found to be associated with severe disruption in social and academic functioning, family dysfunction and co-morbid emotional and behavioural problems (Albano, March, & Piacentini, 1999).

Cognitive Behavioral approach perceives obsessive compulsive disorder as an intrusive condition characterized by unwanted repetitive and anxiety-producing thoughts accompanied by the compulsive act of rituals that the individual believes will shield them from the imagined catastrophe (Hansell & Damour, 2008). Obsessions are thoughts or impulses over which the individual has no control and only briefly subside after the victim has been compelled to and completes a certain ritual over and over until the anxiety lessens (Hansell & Damour, 2008).

Have you ever felt the need to wash your hands again, even though you just did so seconds earlier? Or maybe felt intense anxiety over everyday tasks, such as sending a letter and believing you may have misspelled a word. You may feel that this is just a personal issue, but in reality, many people all over the world share the same thoughts and feelings. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or more commonly called OCD, as defined by (Obsessive, 2010), is a type of mental illness that causes repeated unwanted thoughts. This common disorder can be found in nearly every region and culture around the world, so even though one dealing with it may feel alone, the person sitting right beside them could easily be suffering from something similar. According to (How Many People, 2012), their best estimates found that one within every one hundred adults, or nearly two to three million adults just within the United States suffer from some type of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Also, they found that at least one within every two hundred children and teenagers, or five hundred thousand in the United States only, also deal with this disorder. That number parallels with the amount of children in the United States who have diabetes.

The definition of Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is typically defined by the disorders characteristics. The characteristics of OCD are obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions often manifest from unreasonable beliefs, thoughts, and fears. Compulsions often manifest in the form of ritualistic behaviors. Mayoclinic.org explains that individuals with OCD can have one of the other where the issues of compulsions or obsessions are concerned (Diseases and Conditions). “Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder” written by Gyula Bokor, MD, and Peter D. Anderson further distinguishes OCD by stating that “(OCD) consists of a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental and interpersonal control to the degree that flexibility, openness, and efficiency are impaired” (2014, p. 117). There are a number of disorders that are comorbid to OCD, meaning in the presence of one or more disorder. Bokor and Anderson state that often times Tourette’s syndrome and Tic disorders are a frequent comorbidity with OCD (2014, p. 117). Psychotic disorders like schizophrenia has been reported a comorbidity of OCD. Bokor and Anderson state that the mental composition of a patient with OCD can lie in comorbidity with numerous psychiatric disorders as well like panic disorder, social phobia, and posttraumatic stress disorder (2014, p. 118). The National Institute of Mental Health’s website explains that there are a number of treatments for OCD. The two most predominant forms of

Abnormal and clinical psychology are two branches in the field of psychological studies. In simple words, abnormal psychology can be defined as the study of people who engage in unusual behavior and emotional thoughts. These actions and thoughts are considered abnormal compared to those of other members of society, and they significantly interfere with their functioning in life. Clinical psychology goes hand in hand with abnormal psychology because it is the study that deals with the assessment and treatment of those abnormal actions. Learning about these branches of psychology can help us understand and predict behaviors of people who that are affected by these disorders. It is also essential to advance our knowledge to help assess the people who suffer these illnesses to lead a life of better quality. In this paper, a case study that entails a brief vignette of a 35 year old paralegal named Greg will be analyzed. According to concepts of abnormal and clinical psychology, Greg will be diagnosed with the psychological disorder of obsessive-compulsive disorder (more formally known as OCD) that might have originated in the anal stage of the psychoanalytic theory, for which cognitive behavioral therapy will be used as a possible treatment.

OCD is taboo to some people, but it has come a long way since it was first discovered. The disorder was first discovered by Jean-Etienne Dominique Esquirol in the psychiatric literature in 1838 (Fornaro, 2009). When obsessive compulsive disorder was first

Firstly persistent obsessive thoughts affecting cognitive inhibition for example ‘If I flick this switch X amount of times , my house will burn down’ and secondly repetitive compulsive behaviour, affecting motor inhibition for example flicking the light switch X amount of times. OCD is thought to affect around 1 in 100 people although is is suspected that many do not report it. The compulsive behaviors are often stemmed from an attempt to stop the obsessive thoughts that a sufferer of OCD would have, it is aimed that by satisfying these thoughts will make them go away (Bannon, Gonsalvez, Croft & Boyce, 2002). In 2009 a study conducted by Page et al was conducted to test if sufferers of OCD exhibited deficits in cognitive and behavioral inhibitions compared to a control groups made up of sufferers of panic disorder. All participants had a clinical diagnosis of either disorder. It consisted of two tests, a Go/No go test (Fox, Michie, Wynne & Maybery, 2000) and consisted of four blocks plus a practice. Each block consisted of 100 stimuli, and participants were instructed to prace the spacebar when the go stimuli was presented two trials were with the right hand and two with the left. Go stimuli consisted of the letters ‘N’, ‘J’ and ‘W’ presented in blue or the letter ‘O’ in red, green or yellow. NoGo stimuli consisted of the letter ‘O’ in blue or the letter ‘E’ in Pink. The

Hello, Julianne, while reading about obsessive-compulsive disorders was very fascinating to read about in chapter 14. I completely agree with the obsessive- compulsive disorder symptoms that you stated in your post Julianne. I agree with what you said because the textbook also similarly states that common symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder include ritualistic behavior, persistent repetition of actions like bathing and cleaning and symmetry. I think that you provided a clear and concise definition of what an obsessive-compulsive disorder is oppose to the textbook. Your example of the character on the TV show Glee, helped me understand what obsessive-compulsive disorder is and how the character symptoms provided a consistent verification

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 (OCD) is a mental disorder that is associated with reoccurring thoughts (obsessions) and uncontrollable thoughts that drives the patients to repeat something over and over again. The Aviator movie is trying to depict this disorder through the character Howard Hughes. The story captures the real-life experience of Hughes who was a successful filmmaker and aeronautic engineer in Hollywood between 1920s and 1940s. He was both rich, talented and notoriously eccentric. Hughes showed symptoms of OCD which were very severe and incapacitating at some points. His conditions deteriorated progressively from bad to worst throughout his lifetime, though in most parts of the film he is depicted as functioning relatively normally. This paper will focus on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and how it has been depicted in The Aviator movie through the character Howard Hughes.