Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a condition that can be disabling to a persons life. Someone who suffers from OCD can become trapped in repetitive thoughts and behaviors that are seemingly senseless. OCD can occur in a varying degree, from mild to severe.(NIMH) If severe OCD is left untreated, it can destroy a person's ability to function at work, at school, or even at home. For many years OCD was only thought to be a disorder that was brought on by society, but recently there has been new evidence that it is something neurological. .
At first when psychologists first started diagnosing people with OCD they were convinced that it was not only a very rare disorder, but that it was caused by modeling to the extreme, mostly for kids whose parents were abusive. According to Sigmund Freud, a person with such a past is then liable to go through unexplainable ritualistic motion often times unconsciously which then debilitate the person from functioning in a normal society. He also says that there are times when we fail to control the subconscious which would influence us to commit parapraxes (slips of the tongue). Also, that the unchecked subconscious then becomes a sort of channel for the person's past traumatic experience, so it would surface as an obsessive act.( Freud 338) Most people that have severe OCD their symptoms start in early childhood or adolescence. Unlike adults, children don't see their habits as being obsessions or compulsions because they are usually washing hands or, checking things around their house. This is thought to be because the children are trying to empress their parents, or they are trying to model them, but instead they take it to the extreme.(Robins 4) After the child gets rewarded for the behavior, such as washing their hands, they might keep on doing the act so that they can get the same reaction over and over again. This can lead to an adult that washes their hands five times in a row every time they go to the bathroom, not because they are afraid of germs, but because that is what their brain is telling them.
If people recognize the symptoms and seek treatment, OCD can be controlled. OCD plagues people with intrusive, unwanted thoughts or obsessions, which are rarely pleasant. ... These behaviors generally are intended to ward off harm to the person with OCD or others. ... People with OCD usually have considerable insight into their own problems. ... OCD affects as many as 2 percent of all Americans. ...
Many people without OCD experience these obsessions, but in a different way. People without OCD may experience these obsessions momentarily and then move on. ... People with OCD typically have a difficult time throwing things away. ... People with OCD may be very reluctant to work with a group or team. ... There are two main treatments for OCD: psychotherapy and medications. ...
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Outline Thesis: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental illness characterized by the presence of recurrent, unwanted ideas or impulses (obsessions) and an urge or compulsion to do something to relieve the discomfort caused by the obsession. I. Four primar...
The misconceptions about OCD are not all new. ... OCD even made an appearance in a classic piece of literature. ... When you have OCD you know how it feels (Summers, 1999)." ... Perhaps obsessions are things that people who do not have OCD see as odd and abstract, but to the people with OCD, they are very real. ... People with OCD know their compulsions are absurd. ...
OCD was once thought to be rare. It is now estimated that up to 3 percent of the U.S. population may suffer from OCD at some point in their lives (about 5 million people). The disorder usually begins in adolescence or early adulthood, but it may also occur in childhood. OCD is characterized by recu...
The key features of OCD are obsessions and compulsions. ... OCD occurs on a continuum from mild to severe. ... What is OCD The key features of OCD are obsessions and compulsions as stated in DSMIV. ... How Prevalent is OCD For many years, mental health professionals thought of OCD as a rare disease because only a small minority of their patients had the condition. ... The survey showed that OCD is more commo...
Quirky behavior or something more serious? Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD affects nearly two to three percent of the U.S. population. OCD affects both males and females, but males start to show signs of OCD at an earlier age, between the ages of six and fifteen, while in females it tends t...
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Outline Thesis: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental illness characterized by the presence of recurrent, unwanted ideas or impulses (obsessions) and an urge or compulsion to do something to relieve the discomfort caused by the obsession. I. Four primar...
OCD strikes people of all ethnic groups, both male and female. ... There is no single, proven cause of OCD, but research suggests that OCD involves problems in communication between the front part of the brain and deeper structures. ... Left untreated, OCD usually grows worse as patients age. ... Behavioral psychotherapists are a good option for the treatment and management of the OCD. ... The Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation provides a forum for people with OCD and professionals interested in OCD. ...
