Free Essays on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Introduction The definition for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder -OCD- is, â€Å"a mental illness whose sufferers are driven by anxiety to become slaves of habit† (Dowling). OCD is a psychological disease. The people diagnosed with it have problems with keeping behaviors, urges, or thoughts inside. Something simple like cleaning house or washing hands can become an obsessive habit. OCD is one of the most long-lasting and severe disorders involving anxiety problems. It is recognized by ongoing bouts with obsessions and compulsions. These cannot be controlled and interfere with the patient’s daily life activities (Bunch). OCD can be very harmful to the people diagnosed with the disorder. It is hard to control and it is easy to get carried away with the obsessions and compulsions.Living Life With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder -OCD- effects many people. From personal experience with someone diagnosed with it, it becomes obvious that a person has it. It is a psychological disorder that causes uncontrollable urges or thoughts to occur. Cleaning house, washing hands, walking down the street, or organization skills are examples of activities that can become an obsession to OCD patients. It is not certain as to what causes OCD. In a way everyone has a little bit of OCD in them, but those with severe cases live abnormal lives and have many problems throughout it. Theories There are many theories as to what brings OCD around. Nothing is certain but one theory is that major depression, phobias, and schizophrenia contribute to OCD. For depression, people can develop obsessions when they are depressed. Schizophrenia may appear to be a compulsive behavior and also in the early stages, it appears to be OCD. Sometimes schizophrenia is misdiagnosed as OCD. Phobias are characterized by anxiety and OCD patients experience anxiety. OCD patients tend to have some phobic characteristics. Other diseas... Free Essays on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Free Essays on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Obsessive-compulsive disorder characterized by an obsession or a compulsion. Obsession is a persistent, unwanted thought or idea that keeps recurring. Compulsions are irresistible urges to repeatedly carry out some act that seems strange and unreasonable, even to them. Obsessive-compulsion disorder (OCD) can have many symptoms. If you are obsessed with germs or dirt, so you wash your hands over and over. You may be filled with doubt and feel the need to check things repeatedly. You may have frequent thoughts of violence, and fear that you will harm people close to you. You also may spend long periods of touching things or counting. Another is you may feel troubled by thoughts that are against your religious beliefs. The disturbing thoughts or images are called obsessions, and the rituals that are performed to try to prevent or get rid of them are called compulsions. OCD affects about 3.3 million adult Americans. It strikes men and women in approximately equal numbers and usually first appears in childhood, adolescence, or early childhood. OCD might gradually ease over time, or it can grow worse. Research evidence suggests that OCD might run in families. Effective treatments for each of the anxiety disorders have been developed through research. In general, two types of treatment are available for an anxiety disorder, medications and specific type of psychotherapy. With medications the psychiatrists or other physician will evaluate each patient and prescribe a certain medication. Psychotherapy involves talking with a trained mental health professional. With this a patient is exposed to their phobia or fear. With time it gets more and more intense to the point they have no more phobia or compulsions.... Free Essays on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Introduction The definition for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder -OCD- is, â€Å"a mental illness whose sufferers are driven by anxiety to become slaves of habit† (Dowling). OCD is a psychological disease. The people diagnosed with it have problems with keeping behaviors, urges, or thoughts inside. Something simple like cleaning house or washing hands can become an obsessive habit. OCD is one of the most long-lasting and severe disorders involving anxiety problems. It is recognized by ongoing bouts with obsessions and compulsions. These cannot be controlled and interfere with the patient’s daily life activities (Bunch). OCD can be very harmful to the people diagnosed with the disorder. It is hard to control and it is easy to get carried away with the obsessions and compulsions.Living Life With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder -OCD- effects many people. From personal experience with someone diagnosed with it, it becomes obvious that a person has it. It is a psychological disorder that causes uncontrollable urges or thoughts to occur. Cleaning house, washing hands, walking down the street, or organization skills are examples of activities that can become an obsession to OCD patients. It is not certain as to what causes OCD. In a way everyone has a little bit of OCD in them, but those with severe cases live abnormal lives and have many problems throughout it. Theories There are many theories as to what brings OCD around. Nothing is certain but one theory is that major depression, phobias, and schizophrenia contribute to OCD. For depression, people can develop obsessions when they are depressed. Schizophrenia may appear to be a compulsive behavior and also in the early stages, it appears to be OCD. Sometimes schizophrenia is misdiagnosed as OCD. Phobias are characterized by anxiety and OCD patients experience anxiety. OCD patients tend to have some phobic characteristics. Other diseas...