Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Research Paper

Everyday tasks like checking to make sure the stove is off before leaving the house or washing one's hands after using the restroom are normal tasks unless done excessively. One that does everyday tasks excessively because they have an urge to or one is obsessed with doing the task could have obsessive-compulsive disorder. The definition of obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental disorder in which people have unwanted thoughts, feeling, ideas, obsessions, and behaviors that drives them to do something over and over again. Often the person carries out the behaviors to get rid of the obsessive thoughts. “A defining characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder is that the patient is fully aware that the thoughts and rituals are bizarre and …show more content…
The patients may feel that something bad is going to happen so one has to prepare or one may feel that something bad will happen if an object is thrown away. One may feel an object will be used in the future so one keeps it. One may feel the decision to throw something away is to difficult so one just keeps it. A lot of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder sometimes arrange objects in a certain order (starr). Sometimes patients will have a “magic number” so, one may feel the need to buy everything in bundles of ones number and this can lead to a lot of the hoarding issues. Fear of contamination can also play a role in hoarding. One may feel they need to buy everything they touch at a store because one does not want to “contaminate” other …show more content…
Many patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder have, over the years involved spouses and other family members in their ritualizing (Starr). Relatives may have become facilitators of the behaviors, and should learn how to help the patient. (Starr). Having the patient's family involved is very important to improve the patients behaviors because sometimes the family can contribute to the patients behaviors (Starr). There are many different treatments to lessen the severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder but there is no “cure” for it. Also, different treatments work for different patients. Since 1989 drastic changes have happened, now several drugs are available for treatment (Starr). A lot of patients found behavioral therapy to be more manageable after medication eased their symptoms (Starr). Behavioral therapy is a form of therapy that helps change unhealthy behaviors. It functions on the idea that behaviors are learned and that unhealthy behaviors can be