...Obsessive Compulsive Disorder What is OCD? OCD is an anxiety disorder where sufferers experience persistent and intrusive thoughts occurring as obsessions, compulsions or a combination of the two. Obsessions are things that people think about and can comprise of inappropriate ideas and visual images that aren’t based on reality, such as being convinced that there are germs everywhere. Compulsions are what people do as a result of those obsessions; they are an attempt to reduce distress or prevent feared events, though there is little chance of them doing so. Symptoms of OCD. Obsessive symptoms. Common obsessions include: * Contamination, eg by germs. * Fear of losing control, eg through impulses to hurt someone. * Perfectionism, eg fear of not being the best. * Religion, eg fear of being immoral. Common obsessions include: * Contamination, eg by germs. * Fear of losing control, eg through impulses to hurt someone. * Perfectionism, eg fear of not being the best. * Religion, eg fear of being immoral. Behavioural. * Hinders everyday functioning – having obsessive ideas of an inappropriate type creates such anxiety that the ability to perform everyday tasks is severely hindered, for example, being able to work effectively. * Social impairment – anxiety levels generated are so high as to limit the ability to conduct meaningful interpersonal relationships. Emotional. * Extreme anxiety – persistent inappropriate or forbidden ideas...
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...Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a complex condition that involves unwanted distressing thoughts and compulsive rituals. Even though the DSM-5 doesn’t categorize OCD as an anxiety disorder, according to the American Psychiatric Association they define it as “an anxiety disorder in which time-people have recurring, unwanted thoughts, ideas or sensations (obsessions) that make them feel driven to do something repetitively (compulsions).” Obsessions and compulsions are time consuming and take up more than an hour a day or cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. (5th ed., p. 129) This was present in the six British teens in the 2013 documentary “Extreme OCD Camp.” The British teens Jack, Josh, Imation, Libya, Andrew, and Meagan were plagued with a life of obsessions and compulsions. Each individual expressed unique but similar symptoms due to their OCD. A few of the unique symptoms Jack expressed due to his fear of germs were to wear gloves in public, not to use unsterilized cups, plates and utensils, avoid eating improper handled food and to not touch anything that wasn’t sterilized first. Josh has a symmetry disorder, if he touches something with one hand he has to do the same with the other. Imation is plagued by terrible thoughts of death, avoids certain foods, and has to tap everything she passes. Libya has a fear of contamination, being dirty and bad smells. Andrew avoids the number 13 and...
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...OCD Obsessive Compulsive disorder is characterized as an anxiety disorder that many people live with today. Around 2 to 3 million adults are diagnosed with OCD in the Unites States alone (International OCD foundation). This disorder not only affects your brain but also your behaviors directly. This tragic disorder immensely interferes with living a healthy life and maintaining work and relationships successfully. In generally you will see the signs of a person suffering with OCD appear in ages 8 to 12. The usually age for diagnosis is 19 (International OCD Foundation). There are not specific types of OCD but sometimes the onset can come on severe fast. Obsessions and Compulsions are two separate entities that people group into one when they do not know much about obsessive compulsive disorder. Obsessions are more of the thought process of this disorder. These thoughts are always unusual and are definitely not wanted. The images, ideas and thoughts are never pleasant and can really get in the way of maintaining everyday things. The person knows that these thoughts are not right and they just can’t get rid of them. The Compulsions are more of the behaviors, repetitive actions and consuming rituals. These are not to be mistaken with normal routines that people stick to. Compulsions are usually done to escape the thoughts (obsessions) they have. These are temporarily satisfying, even though more thoughts will come when completed. One of the worst parts is that they...
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...Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Jackie Clanton PSY/450 January 26, 2013 Dr. Angela Ramirez Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Obsessive compulsive disorder is one of many anxiety disorders and is defined as a mental disorder in which an individual experiences obsessions or compulsions, either singly or together according to the Merriam Webster online dictionary. Obsessive compulsive can start in childhood or young adulthood the disorder is equally common among men and women in adulthood (Parmet, Lynm & Golub, 2011). Obsessions are unwanted, recurrent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced as intrusive and inappropriate (Parmet, Lynm & Golub, 2011). Compulsions are defined as repetitive behaviors or "rituals" that the person feels driven to perform in a particular way (Parmet, Lynm & Golub, 2011). There are several different ways to treat obsessive compulsive disorder but there is no known cure. Human development relies on socialization with other humans obsessive compulsive disorder can hinder social interaction thus hindering a person’s normal development. Obsessions and Compulsions Obsessive compulsive disorder occurs more frequently in adolescents and adults than in children, but when it is found in children it is more common in boys than in girls (Parmet, Lynm & Golub, 2011). A person with obsessive compulsive disorder may have obsessions compulsions or both obsessions and compulsions. There are several characteristics of obsessions...
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...Impulsivity with Obsessive Fixations (I.O.F) has many similarities to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (O.C.D). Some may say that I.O.F. and O.C.D are utterly different and have nothing in common, however, the following reasons that will be discussed will prove that that is inaccurate; Both these disorders focus on people being obsessive over something. O.C.D and I.O.F. can affect a person’s social and home life if diagnosed with these disorders. They share many symptoms. Lastly, both ailments may be caused by the Feeling State Theory. In conclusion, I.O.F. and O.C.D are alike. Impulsivity with Obsessive Fixations and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, have the same characteristics that include being obsessed with something or obsessed with performing a task or action. I.O.F. is one that is obsessively fixated on obtaining an object. A person with this disorder has repetitive thoughts that may lead people to have compulsions. Impulsivity with Obsessive Fixations is one that is fixated on doing something. Like for instance, an alcoholic is obsessively fixated on alcohol. Another example of someone that is diagnosed with this disorder, is a gambler. They are fixated on gambling....
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...Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Obsessed with germs and the thought of being dirty, infected and otherwise unclean, Bob washes his hands hundreds of times a day and rarely ever touches any thing before disinfecting it and himself. This is what millions of people suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) deal with every day. OCD has many shapes and sizes which make it incredibly complex to diagnose and treat. Since there is not a cure or a known cause for OCD, there are just theories, studies, and good judgments to go by in order to help patients who suffer from OCD. According to Jeffrey Schmwartz M.D. “no one really knows why some people develop the disorder and other’s do not”. Men and women are equally likely to suffer from OCD except for children. Male children are more likely to get OCD and it is usually linked to an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). “Symptoms usually begin in individuals aged ten to twenty four years old” (Aronson, Sarah C. MD. pg.2). Studies from National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) say 9.7 percent of the sufferers have OCD by ages five to ten, 20.8 percent of the sufferers have it by ages ten to fifteen, and 41.9 percent by ages fifteen to twenty (Penzel, Fred Ph.D pg. 151). Regrettably at this time there is no way of knowing who will get this disorder, because it is not yet known why people develop the disorder. Until science can uncover the root of this problem, we must work off of theories and studies which...
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...Abstract Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, OCD, is an anxiety disorder that causes unwanted and intrusive thoughts or feelings that cause an individual to feel driven to do something. OCD affects one in every 50 individuals in the United States. Often times, OCD begins in childhood or adolescence and if untreated, will continue into adulthood. This research paper will address the symptoms of OCD and the current counseling techniques used to treat it. Keywords: obsessive compulsive disorder, rituals, obsession, exposure and response prevention, compulsions, obsessions Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, OCD, is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Individuals with OCD are often plagued by persistent, unwelcome thoughts or images, or by the urgent need to engage in certain rituals. Patients with OCD usually recognize the fact that their obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors are extreme or illogical, but this awareness does not help control their symptoms. An equal number of men and women are diagnosed with OCD, however, men tend to develop it earlier than women. Clients with OCD tend to suffer in many areas of their lives because so much of their time and energy is spent doing their rituals. For more than 7 out of 10 patients, the disorder severely impairs their family relationships, and 6 out of 10 have impaired friendships because of their OCD. Nearly 60 percent...
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...“Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), or behaviors that make them feel driven to do something (compulsions) (NIMH, 2016). Often the person carries out the behaviors to get rid of the obsessive thoughts, but this only provides temporary relief. Not performing the obsessive rituals can cause great anxiety (MINH, 2016). A person's level of OCD can be anywhere from mild to severe, but if severe and left untreated, it can destroy a person's capacity to function at work, at school or even lead an uncomfortable existence in the home” (NIMH, 2016). OCD is can be accompanied by “depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, a personality...
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...Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a disorder that can be more debilitating than one would think. It has been found that the cause of OCD is either due to brain abnormalities or a chemical imbalance. There are various types of treatments out there to treat OCD. There are two possible treatments for OCD: psychotherapy and medication. Cognitive behavioral psychotherapy (CBT) is one of the possible treatments of OCD. This type of treatment helps patients internalize a strategy to resist OCD for the rest of their life. It has been found that serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) are very effective in treating OCD. What this medication does is increase the concentration of serotonin in the brain. One of the common SRIs used to treat OCD in the United...
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...Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), was once classified as an anxiety disorder. It is now under its own category of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. Some of the related disorders are; body dysmorphic disorder, hoarding disorder, excoriation disorder, and trichotillomania. OCD is defined by the “occurrence of both obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior performed in an attempt to neutralize such thoughts”. The goal of OCD is to prevent or reduce distress or to prevent a station or event that may have been dreadful. OCD leads to a lower quality of life and a high chance of functional impairment. Diagnosis for OCD requires that the obsessions and compulsions occur for at least an hour per day. In more...
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...Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), defined by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is a mental disorder with “essential features of recurrent obsessions of compulsions that are severe enough to be time consuming or cause marked distress or significant impairment.” Even though this disorder has been mentioned since the seventeenth century many aspects of its origin are still unknown. Affecting around one percent of the United States population, OCD is shown to be equally common between males and females. Yet, the age of onset is generally earlier in males. Health professionals are still trying to figure out what factors are responsible but commonly look for three things when...
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...Treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Sam A. Okibe May 10th, 2013 Treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) INTRODUCTION: Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric illness categorized under anxiety disorder. OCD is characterized by marked obsession (thoughts) and compulsion (repetitive behavior) aimed at satisfying the obsession. The DSM-IV-TR (2000) places OCD’s diagnosis under Axis-1 along with most anxiety disorders. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) which afflicts over 5 to 6 million American adults, teens, and children, most not be confused with the personality disorder known as obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). The two disorders differ in that while those suffering from OCD are characterized by repeated need to satisfy ritualistic actions, those afflicted with OCPD tend to focus on perfectionism, marked by severe anxiety when they feel that things are not how they should be. In a Time magazine article entitled When Worry Hijacks The Brain Kluger, Cray, and Pomerance (2007), noted that the average lag time before OCD is properly diagnosed is a shocking nine years. Kluger et al. continued by stating that it takes an additional eight years before an effective treatment is prescribed. OCD is behind schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, and ADHD as far as treatment research is concerned (Kluger et al.). WHAT CAUSES OCD? Psychologists and Psychiatrics have since the late 17th century engaged themselves with different...
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...Obsessive compulsive disorder is a mental illness disorder. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or also known as OCD, creates a pattern of unreasonable thoughts and fears that lead someone to repeating behaviors, or also known as ritual behaviors. For example, someone with OCD may always have to touch their pencil a certain way, or they believe that if they don’t something bad may really happen. Symptoms are important to know for any disorder as it can lead relatives and people themselves to help diagnose what they have by going to their doctor about a concern. In Obsessive Compulsive Disorder one may find a few symptoms to help them bring to attention their mental disorder. One of the societies most known symptoms when thought of OCD would include...
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...Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is described as having unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, and or urges that cause extreme anxiety and interferes with day to day life. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental illness that is comprised of two components: obsessions and compulsions. Some individuals experience either obsessiveness or compulsions, however, most people experience both. Obsessions are involuntary, repetitive, unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that don’t stop or go away. These thoughts are not the thoughts that an individual would normally focus on and can often cause anxiety that can be extreme. Compulsions are the steps, behaviors, or rituals that an individual may take in order to try and reduce or ease the anxiety...
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...My brother was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adolescence. He exhibits the most common theme of obsession, fearing contamination from germs. In an attempt to reduce his anxiety, he will behave compulsively. He may wash his hands until they are raw or take multiple showers a day. Although he realizes his actions are irrational, he cannot stop. With many ashamed and unwilling to admit they have OCD, I wonder how underestimated the number of people with the disorder is. According to a survey taken by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in the early 1980s, more than 2 percent of the population is affected by OCD. This means it is more common than mental illnesses such as panic disorder, bipolar disorder, and...
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