Obsessivecompulsive Disorder Essay Example

These rituals may include cleaning, checking, repeating actions, being slow in tasks, or hoarding items.

In most cases, people with OCD experience both obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors; however, sometimes only one may be present. Individuals with OCD also have a strong desire for perfection in their surroundings.

Compulsions involve intrusive thoughts, impulses, and repetitive images that feel uncontrollable. Even though sufferers do not want these ideas and acknowledge their lack of sense, they still find them intrusive and unsettling.

A person with OCD may have obsessions about contamination or contaminating others which leads to excessive worry about dirt and germs.Individuals with OCD may also have concerns about causing harm to others, despite knowing it is illogical. These obsessions often come with unpleasant emotions like fear, disgust, doubt, or a need for perfection. To relieve these obsessions, individuals engage in repetitive actions following specific rules known as compulsions. Although these compulsions provide temporary relief and alleviate discomfort, they do not bring pleasure and the relief is short-lived. Compulsions require a significant amount of time and disrupt social relationships, even though individuals recognize that their obsessions are not legitimate concerns but products of their own minds. Some people with OCD lack insight and do not acknowledge the irrationality of their beliefs and actions.

Over time, OCD symptoms can vary greatly and cause extreme distress. These symptoms can manifest at any age, from early childhood to adulthood. Many adult sufferers report that their symptoms began during childhood. On average, individuals with OCD spend approximately nine years seeking a diagnosis and may consult three to four doctors in the process.

Studies indicate that untreated OCD symptoms typically persist for around 17 years due

to various factors such as secrecy or unawareness of symptoms among individuals, limited familiarity and training in OCD treatment for healthcare providers, as well as restricted access to treatment resources.Regrettably, the lack of early detection and appropriate treatment for OCD can greatly benefit affected individuals. Research suggests that genetic factors play a role in the development of OCD, especially when there is a family history of childhood onset. It is possible for OCD to be inherited in families without specific symptoms being passed down. For example, a child may develop checking rituals while their mother exhibits excessive washing behaviors.

The exact cause of OCD remains uncertain; however, research indicates that it may involve communication issues between the brain and deeper structures, although this has not been definitively proven. In the past, OCD was considered rare due to a lack of awareness among healthcare professionals and patients. Many individuals with OCD conceal their repetitive thoughts and avoid seeking treatment, leading to an underestimation of its prevalence.

Common symptoms include praying for forgiveness or guidance, hoarding or arranging things meticulously, counting due to religious or moral uncertainty, touching in response to intrusive sexual thoughts or urges, checking out of fear of losing control or aggressive impulses, repeating thoughts about self-harm or harming others, and washing due to contamination fears. These obsessive symptoms can manifest at any age.

It should be noted that not all compulsive behaviors indicate an illness.The text discusses various types of obsessions in OCD and the corresponding avoidance or escape behaviors. Some rituals, such as bedtime songs and religious practices, are normal aspects of life. However, during times of high stress, concerns about contamination may increase, which

is also considered normal. Clinical attention is only necessary when persistent symptoms occur that do not make sense, cause significant distress, or interfere with daily functioning. Hoarding is a less common form of OCD where individuals excessively save worthless items. The most well-known form is contamination OCD where individuals are aware of germs, disease, or dirt and feel a strong urge to reduce contamination due to a sense of threat. This compulsion often includes hand washing and chronic cleaning as typical cleaning responses. Checking OCD involves repeatedly inspecting potential threats like door locks, lights, switches, faucets, stoves or other objects. People with this type of OCD may perform these actions between 10 to 100 times a day. The urge to recheck persists until the person experiences a decrease in anxiety despite knowing that the items are secure. Ordering OCD is another less common form where individuals feel compelled to arrange items in specific ways. It's worth noting that approximately 80% of individuals with OCD are aware that their rituals are unreasonable and irrational.OCD itself is an anxiety disorder characterized by strange thoughts that create a sense of alarm or threatThe text highlights various treatment strategies in cognitive therapy that focus on motivations, selective attention, negative mood, and negative beliefs. The importance of interpreting intrusive thoughts is emphasized as it can have significant consequences and alienate individuals from their social circle if they develop negative interpretations related to harming others. Many individuals with OCD remain undiagnosed due to their secrecy about symptoms, fearing judgment and embarrassment regarding their compulsive reactions. In children, common obsessions associated with OCD include extreme concern for order, fear of incomplete tasks

or assignments, anxieties related to sounds or images, fear of disasters, AIDS-related fears, fear of dirtiness, fear of losing important things, recurring thoughts, and anxiety about saying something wrong. It is estimated that approximately one million children and adolescents in the United States alone suffer from OCD. Furthermore, an average elementary school has 3 to 5 affected children while a large high school has 20 affected teenagers. Adolescents are particularly impacted by OCD during a crucial time of social development as it affects their school work, homework commitments,and friendships significantly.Many children, especially young ones, are not aware that their obsessions and compulsions are abnormal. Conversely, adolescents feel ashamed and overly anxious about their actions, striving to fit in and concealing their rituals from friends and family. This often results in mental fatigue and stress. Children and adolescents exhibit OCD differently than adults do. Younger children may view their rituals as silly, while parents often don't recognize their child's OCD until they are 3 or 4 years old or even older. To accurately diagnose a child with OCD, it is essential to bring them to a doctor or psychiatrist. In school settings, children with OCD frequently struggle to complete assignments on time as they constantly redo them. Additionally, they find it challenging to concentrate in class as they become fixated on fears and rituals. Parents should inform the child's teacher about the presence of OCD and request progress reports. It is crucial to note that OCD is not contagious; however, parents are unfairly blamed for their child's disorder and accused of being too strict or inadequate in parenting skills. While certain life events can contribute to

the development of OCD, its primary cause is neurobiological factors. Triggering events may include the loss of a loved one, divorce, moving homes, or dissatisfaction with changes at school. One common manifestation of OCD involves checking compulsions driven by fear of harming oneself or others.Children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often exhibit compulsive behaviors involving the repetitive checking of doors, locks, heaters, alarms, faucets, switches, and other potential threats. These behaviors can negatively impact a child's ability to learn. For example, a child may excessively check their books before leaving for school, resulting in being late. They may also feel compelled to call home and recheck their books while at school. These rituals disrupt homework completion and force children to work late into the night on tasks that could have been done much quicker.

There are different types of OCD behaviors, including repeating compulsions where someone repeats a specific action multiple times. Some individuals experience anxiety-driven rituals, while others feel the need to perform these rituals in a particular way. This can involve repeatedly walking back and forth or sitting and standing from a chair until it feels right. Counting is often involved in these rituals as well.

In a classroom setting, children with OCD may display various forms of rituals that result in repetitive questions as they try to remember or understand something. Written assignments can also be affected as students constantly cross out, trace or rewrite letters or words. Lockers can pose challenges too since the combination may need to be repeated several times until it feels correct.

For students with OCD compulsions, note-taking becomes nearly impossible as they feel compelled to write down every single word.Computer-scored

tests pose a particular challenge for students, as there is a strong urge to fill in the answer circles perfectly. During their illness, around 80 percent of children and adolescents with OCD develop washing or cleaning rituals. The most common compulsion is hand washing, where individuals feel the need to wash their hands extensively in a specific manner and for long periods of time. Some individuals engage in this ritual multiple times a day, sometimes even hundreds of times. These rituals may manifest subtly during school, unrelated to actual washing.

Teachers should be aware that if a student frequently leaves the classroom to use the restroom, it could indicate a desire for privacy during their cleaning rituals. Signs of using strong cleaning agents like Mr. Clean may include dry, red, chapped, cracked, or bleeding hands as they try to remove contaminants. Some cases involve excessive hand washing and neglecting personal objects or body parts due to contamination fears.

In some cases related to obsessions about symmetry, children may feel compelled to make both sides of their bodies identical. This can be seen through spending excessive time tying and retying shoelaces for perfect balance in each bow or maintaining consistent step lengths while walking and equal stress on all syllables when speaking. In a classroom setting, students often seek order and engage in symmetry-related rituals.
Symmetry holds significance for students, whether it involves arranging items on a shelf or solving problems. Those with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) experience recurring thoughts that prompt avoidance behaviors. This can lead to avoiding specific objects, substances, or situations that trigger fear or discomfort. For example, individuals with contamination fears may steer clear of common

classroom materials like paint, glue, paste, clay,tape,and ink.

In educational settings, those with OCD may use clothing or gloves to cover their hands and rely on facial tissue or shirt cuffs to open doors or turn on faucets. They may also avoid using scissors or other sharp tools in the classroom and certain doorways associated with repeating rituals due to a fear of harm. Additionally, children and adolescents with OCD seek reassurance from teachers and staff members regarding cleanliness or mistakes made.

While seeking reassurance temporarily eases anxiety related to their fears, new situations in the classroom can give rise to new anxieties for them. Young boys especially tend to develop number obsessions where they perceive certain numbers as safe while considering others as negative. The text underscores various obsessions in individuals, particularly children, underscoring the importance of a strong therapeutic relationship for successful therapy.A child's fixation on a particular number can result in repetitive actions or counting. Some children, who have strong religious connections, may experience scrupulosity which is an obsessive fear of committing sins that leads to constant prayer or seeking forgiveness through confession. Certain individuals develop intricate systems to avoid unwanted thoughts, memories, or actions by replacing sinful thoughts with virtuous ones. One common obsession among young people with OCD is the fear of contamination linked to germs, dirt, ink, paint, bodily fluids, chemicals, and other substances. There has also been a rise in obsessions related to AIDS. This fear causes avoidance of suspected contaminants or objects that may carry germs.

Research consistently demonstrates that the bond between therapist and patient is crucial for effective therapy. Interpersonal factors such as comfort, confidence, and genuine commitment

from both parties significantly contribute to creating a collaborative atmosphere. Both the patient and therapist must fully commit to explicit and implicit agreements of therapy for it to be effective. This includes agreeing on challenges for the upcoming week and the patient taking responsibility for their involvement in therapy. Clients can choose whether to share these challenges with a supportive partner or decline this option entirely. The ultimate goal of therapy is to promote client independence.In various fields, qualities such as understanding, compassion, and warmth are equally significant as training, knowledge, experience, and credentials. Cognitive-behaviorists believe that self-disclosure is beneficial within therapeutic relationships where clients sharing information about themselves is viewed positively. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) addresses depression stemming from distorted thinking triggered by automatic reactions to life events. The primary goal of CBT is to help patients respond rationally to these automatic irrational thoughts. This therapy teaches individuals how to recognize reflexive reactions or beliefs during upsetting situations leading to emotional distress. Traditional CBT therapists mainly focus on replacing automatic irrational thinking with rational thoughts. Therapists practicing CBT must have confidence in their patients' ability to differentiate between rational and irrational thinking since everyone possesses irrational ideas. Additionally, it acknowledges the influence of society, family, and religion on shaping dysfunctional thought processes but may not be suitable for OCD patients due to potential hindrance in therapeutic progress.This approach assumes that individuals are responding irrationally to a situation that is actually logically safe. The issue lies in the fact that most OCD patients are aware of the unusual and irrational nature of their actions, as well as the minimal risk involved; nevertheless, they still feel

compelled to engage in these behaviors as a means of escape. Therefore, traditional CBT techniques, which involve identifying triggers, automatic thoughts, emotions, and rational responses, would be ineffective. Originally designed for depression treatment, traditional CBT consists of two main components: strategizing behind the scenes and confronting conflicts directly. When working with OCD, it is crucial to understand how these strategies should be applied separately.
Cognitive therapy for OCD primarily focuses on helping individuals develop a comprehensive understanding of how OCD operates through cognitive conceptualization. This process involves separating oneself from the emotional or moral implications of the disorder. Many individuals with purely obsessional OCD experience intense guilt and shame regarding their thoughts or responsibility towards others. Clients need to comprehend that engaging in rituals or accepting risks are deliberate choices rather than automatic reflexes. It is critical to reshape one's response set by focusing on their relationship with the condition and consciously deciding whether to give in to ritualsThis perspective differs from perceiving cognitive threats as obligatory or lacking choices. Patients are encouraged to change their mindset from "I had to" to "I chose to." Research indicates that recognizing our choice in facing challenges enhances our ability to tolerate adversity and pain. Educating individuals about the specific risks related to their concerns is vital in cognitive conceptualization, but medical science cannot provide complete certainty. Therefore, informing someone that the chances of contracting AIDS from a door knob are low does not alleviate their overall anxiety. Some people have been influenced by their disorder for so long that they have forgotten their true instincts. Moreover, learning that those who express potential danger rarely act on it or

that individuals with anxiety disorders rarely develop schizophrenia may offer some education but does not provide long-lasting relief.

The second objective of CT is cognitive-management, which teaches individuals how to respond to obsessive threats without engaging in argument or mental escape. The primary goal is to reduce conflict and develop habituation to these thoughts. Cognitive-management incorporates principles that promote increased tolerance for the physical discomfort caused by anxiety. Instead of solely seeking temporary relief, these principles involve accepting the discomfort and effectively managing it.A misconception people often have when going to therapy is wanting to get rid of their intrusive thoughts. The goal of cognitive therapy (CT) for OCD is not to eliminate these thoughts, but rather learn how to manage them effectively. This principle also applies to anxiety disorders. It involves creating space for the experience and allowing the brain to shift its attention in order to tolerate anxiety better. The objective of cognitive conceptualization is reducing the common feelings of guilt, shame, and culpability experienced by individuals with OCD. It is not advisable to delve into this concept during difficult moments as it may provide reassurance. Instead, in later stages of treatment, the aim is teaching individuals how to respond effectively to cognitive prompts that trigger danger without resistance for habituation. Taking an assertive approach towards challenges greatly aids in recovery since actively seeking anxiety-inducing challenges paradoxically leads to decreased anxiety levels. Shifting from constant avoidance to facing challenges results in realizing that actively seeking them actually reduces their occurrence likelihood. Cognitive therapy for OCD has two main applications: 1) helping individuals understand the overall plan for managing anxiety disorders and 2) providing specific

suggestions on addressing imminent danger when faced with challenging situations.
The main concept of cognitive therapy is to help individuals develop a healthier mindset towards their anxiety. The text suggests that recognizing doubt and accepting risk can facilitate problem-solving. Cognitive management involves finding exercises to confront potential risks. By combining compulsive behavior with self-talk, the impact of the exercise is enhanced. The brain's tendency to alert discomfort is suppressed when individuals tolerate risk until the danger passes. Cognitive-behavioral therapy offers specific responses to spikes and educates people about their concerns in relation to their identity, as well as providing strategies for managing anxiety. Reassurances and education on limited risks associated with spikes are counterproductive and alienating.

Bibliography:
- Salkouskis PM."Understanding and Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder".Behavior Therapy, July 1999.
- Steven Phillipson."What is OCD?". [source](http://www.ocdonline.com/defineocd.htm).
- "What are the Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?". [source](http://www.ocfoundation.org/ocf1010a.htm).
- Steven Phillipson, PhD. "What is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for OCD?". [source](http://www.ocdonline.com/definecbt.htm).
"What are the Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?" [source](http://www.ocdfoundation.org/ocf1010a.htm)."Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder" can be understood by referring to various sources. One source, found at http://www.brain.com/about/article.cfm?id526&cat_1d=45, provides information on this disorder. Another source located at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/ocd.htm also discusses "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder". Additionally, a third source, available at http://www.ocdresource.com/ocdresource.nsf/pages/civbpcdtwhat, provides insights into what OCD actually is.