Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Many psychological disorders are present in modern life today. They range from trivial behavior quirks to severe cases of mental illness. One, which on the surface does not appear very important, is obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Yet when looked at closer, this disorder afflicts thousands of people and is more serious that it first appears. This paper presents an explanation of the symptoms, their causes and the treatments that are currently used for obsessive compulsive disorder.

The symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder consist of invasive and irrepressible thoughts (obsessions) or the need to perform specific acts repeatedly (compulsions), or both. While the most people have habits or routines, sufferers of obsessive compulsive disorder have rituals that take up a large amount of their time, causing them anxiety and affecting their ability to function normally. Some of those afflicted are so fearful of the imaginary dangers that they often refuse to leave the solace of their own homes. People with obsessive compulsive disorder are bombarded with obsessive thoughts that make them feel worried or scared. To handle that fear they revert to compulsive behavior. While compulsive behavior helps deal with those obsessions, the relief is only temporary, and the obsession always returns. The inability to rid oneself of uncontrollable thoughts, or to keep from performing ritualistic acts over and over again, produces intense anxiety and distress. Common obsessions include fear of dirt or germs, concern with order or exactness, or a fear of injuring others. Common compulsions to address those obsessions include cleaning or grooming constantly, checking door locks to see if they are locked or appliances to see if they are turned off, or arranging items in a certain order. Obsessive compulsive disorder sufferers also tend to execute their compulsions a specific number of times. Obsessive compulsive disorder usually begins in the teenage years or early adulthood. Research indicates that it affects approximately two percent of men and women and ranges across all ethnic groups.

Like other mental ailments, obsessive compulsive disorder arises from a mixture of biological and psychological stimuli. Some people seem predisposed to experience anxiety. Less than normal levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin may be a cause of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Medical researchers have developed a number of medicines that increase the level of serotonin as a way to deal with obsessive compulsive disorder. According to Encarta Encyclopedia “Brain scans of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder have revealed abnormalities in the activity level of the orbital cortex, cingulate cortex, and caudate nucleus, a brain circuit that helps control movements of the limbs.” The ...

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Both of statements illustrate that there may be a widespread brain aberration in obsessive compulsive disorder sufferers. Obsessive compulsive disorder may arise when these biological influences combine with a mental susceptibility to anxiety. Obsessive compulsive disorder is sometimes accompanied by other mental disorders, such as depression or eating disorders.

Obsessive compulsive disorder is usually treated with psychotherapy, psychoactive medicines, or a combination of both. In psychotherapy, the psychologist usually uses the “exposure and response prevention” approach. In this method, the patient is exposed to his/her feared thoughts or conditions but the psychologist stops the patient from executing his/her compulsions. According to Encarta Encyclopedia, “this technique helps 60 to 70 percent of people with obsessive compulsive disorder.” Drugs to treat obsessive compulsive disorder include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors which increase the levels of serotonin. Tricyclic antidepressants are also used to treat this ailment. The combination of pharmacotherapy and behavioral therapy yields an improvement in 80 percent of people distressed by obsessive compulsive disorder, but discontinuing treatment often causes a relapse. A barrier to treatment consists of the sufferer’s inclination to keep their problem a secret and not seek help until years after the onset of their symptoms. By that stage, their life, as well as family members’ lives, may have already learned to work around the compulsions.

Modern research has provided new information about abnormal behavior such as obsessive compulsive behavior. What a hundred years ago was looked at as eccentric behavior that could be harmful to people or to the people around him now has a name. The symptoms and characteristics of that behavior have been cataloged in precise detail. Treatments, both through therapy and drugs also have been developed. Whether obsessive compulsive disorder will ever be fully cured is still unknown. Modern medicine, though, is trying to find a cure for this peculiar abnormal behavior.

Bibliography

Sue, David & Sue, Derald, & Sue, Stanley. (1990). Understanding Abnormal Behavior (3rd ed., pp. 162-169). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Strock, M. (1996). Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Retrieved March 5, 2003, from the National Institute of Mental Health

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