Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Josephine Beker Thomas Jefferson University Description of condition Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a heterogenous, chronic condition which can be further divided into subgroups dependent on the symptoms presented (Bjorgvinsson, Hart & Heffelfinger, 2007). It is characterized by obsessive thoughts or images, which cause stress or anxiety for the patients, as well as compulsive behaviors, which are often repetitive in nature and used to reduce the feelings of distress (McGuire, Lewin, Horng, Murphy & Storch, 2012). Signs/Symptoms - the manifestations…
Another example is when Joan and her maids were scrubbing her tiles floors clean. Everything looked beautiful and spotless until Joan finds something out of place which happened to be under the potted plant. Joan began scrubbing the infected spot herself while continued to say “Oh I’m not mad at you, I’m mad at the dirt.” These are obvious examples of obsessive compulsive disorder because she keeps imagining all the dirt accumulating everywhere and she can’t help but to make sure it’s all…
Obsessive compulsion disorder, also known as O.C.D, is a mental disorder where a person feels the need to repeat things over and over again until he or she feels satisfied. Psychologist call the need to repeat things over and over again a ritual. While only 2.3% of the U.S population has O.C.D (mHMR), not all O.C.D is the same. One person may feel the need to always wash their hands, while another may feel the need to turn a doorknob a certain amount of times. Doctors do not know what cause O.C.D, but they can most likely assume it is from genetics, stress, trauma, or a chemical imbalance in the brain.…
Criteria A in the DSM-5 indicates that to have an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder a person must show signs of having obsessions, compulsions, or signs of both (Nolen-Hoeksema & Marroquin, 2017). According to Nolen-Hoeksema and Marroquin (2017) obsessions are defined by two things, the first by having “recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and unwanted, and that in most individuals cause anxiety or distress” (p. 140). The second thing is that the “individual attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, urges, images, or to neutralize them with another thought or action”; for example, having a compulsion (Nolen-Hoeksema & Marroquin, 2017, p. 140). Such “compulsions are defined by having repetitive behaviors like hand washing, ordering, and checking or having mental acts like praying, counting, or repeating words silently which drives the individual to perform in response to an obsession or to something that must be done rigidly” (Nolen-Hoeksema & Marroquin, 2017, p. 140). It is also defined by having “behaviors or mental acts that help prevent or reduce anxiety or distress, or preventing a dreaded event or situation” (Nolen-Hoeksema & Marroquin, 2017,…
These behaviors either serve as coping mechanisms to reduce the discomfort with the anxiety or distress caused by the obsessive thoughts temporarily, or - unrelated to an obsession - they are performed according to rules that must be applied rigidly. In the majority of cases these actions…
Silver Linings Playbook is a film about a developing love story between the two main characters Tiffany and Pat. They develop a relationship through their shared struggles of mental illness and help each other deal with their symptoms indirectly. The theme of mental illness and the way that it gets in the way of normative functioning is a reoccurring theme within the film. Pat’s father deals with his own struggles of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) which hinders his ability of normative function in certain scenarios. Diagnostic literature identifies OCD as the presence of a variety of different symptoms and issues that interrupt normative action and thoughts.…
Background What is OCD? The first step in understanding the stigma that surrounds OCD is to understand Obsessive Compulsive Disorder itself. The disorder itself is…
Someone who has obsessive-compulsive disorder gets thoughts that are unwanted that cause them to do repetitive behaviors (Rathus, 2010). For example, people with OCD have the obsession to clean everything spotless, like Joan Crawford when she had to clean under a plant that would be easily forgotten by anyone else. One night in the Crawford household when the children were still young, Joan walked into the bedroom where Christina was sleeping to hang a dress and found a wire hanger, a long with a “messy bathroom”. Instantly, Joan snapped and woke-up her sleeping daughter, beat her with the wire hanger, and yelled at her to clean the bathroom floor. Christina insisted she cleaned it that day and said “It isn’t messy, Mommie.…
How OCD affects the teens of today OCD is a common disorder that affects adults, adolescents, and children all over the world (Wexler). Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, sensations(obsessions), or behaviors that make feel driven to do something(compulsions). OCD is a worldwide problem in teens because it affects people learning ability and behavior, people can’t control it in some cases, and it takes over their life. OCD affects people’s learning ability and behavior.…
Case Study The case study will discuss a 52-year-old male client, Samuel, who is suffering obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with good or fair insight. In this paper, this author will illustrate this case and discuss Samuel’s symptoms and diagnosis. In addition, this author will demonstrate evidence-based treatments and analyze potential challenges in therapy. Symptoms and Diagnosis This section will show an explanation of Samuel’s problem and his diagnosis.…
Childhood is made of building blocks—small little numbers that add up, up, up into something greater. Letters become words, words become sentences, sentences: thoughts and dreams. My little life was dictated by letters and numbers. My name: L-U-C-Y. Age: 10.…
It’s all that, but more. OCD stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It’s a mental illness in which people have unwanted or repetitive thoughts, feelings, ideas, and obsessions. The cause of OCD is unknown, but it is thought to be the result of a brain malfunction. Nearly one half of all cases begin in childhood.…
The obsessions are consistent repeating thoughts, urges, or images that are seen as intrusive and unwanted; while compulsions are behavioral responses to the obsessions and are deemed important to follow. The DSM-5 states that if a person has obsessions, it is defined as having recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and unwanted, and that in most individuals cause marked anxiety or distress. Also, the individual attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, urges, or images, or to neutralize them with some other thought or action by performing a compulsion. The DSM-5 states that a person who has compulsions, must have repetitive behaviors, such as hand washing, ordering, checking, or mental acts that can include praying, counting, and repeating words silently, that the individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly. Another criteria of compulsions is that these behaviors or mental acts are not connected in a realistic way with that they are designed to neutralize or prevent, or are clearly excessive.…
For diagnosis, the condition must be time consuming, and it must not be attributed to other physiological or medical effects. According to Solomen and Grant in, “Obsessive Compulsive Disorder,” “compulsions are meant to neutralize or reduce the person’s discomfort or to prevent a dreaded event,” which may be why they occur repetitively (2014, pg. 646). Bokor and Anderson state in their article, “Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder,” that “preoccupation with…
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder(OCD) is a disorder that many struggle with in their daily life. It can be life altering and change the person’s quality of life dramatically. The treatment for OCD consists of medication or therapy that will help one cope with this disorder. Many believe this disorder occurs because one fixates on over analyzing, washing their hands, or checking and rechecking (Fawcett, 2015). Researchers have not yet to identify the main cause of this disorder, but it has been studied that it is from an imbalance in chemicals and other factors that play a part (Steketee & McCorkle, 2012).…