Ocd Research Paper

Words: 4575
Pages: 19

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
OCD stands for obsessive-compulsive disorder. An individual with OCD tends to worry about many different things. On average, one out of fifty adults currently suffer from this disorder, and twice that many have had it at some point in their lives. When worries, doubts, or superstitious beliefs become excessive then a diagnosis of OCD is made. With OCD it is thought that the brain gets stuck on a particular thought or urge and just can't let go. Most often people with OCD describe the symptoms as a case of mental hiccups that won't go away. This causes problems in information processing. OCD was generally thought as untreatable until the arrival of modern medications and cognitive behavior therapy. Most people
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These compulsions are acts that an individual may perform repeatedly, often according to certain "rules". OCD symptoms do not give a person pleasure but a sense of temporary relief for a short period of time. The relief is only temporary and the discomfort always comes back. These relieve make up a lot of time and interfere with a person's social life and relationships.

The less common form of OCD is hoarding which is the excessive saving of typically worthless items. A most commonly thought form of OCD is contamination. This is the awareness of germs, disease, or the presence of dirt that evokes a sense of threat and an incredible inspiration to reduce the presence of contamination. The compulsion of contamination involves a cleaning response such as hand washing and chronic cleaning. {Steven1} Another common form of OCD is checking. Checking involves door locks, lights, switches, faucets, stoves, or items left unchecked that might pose a threat to ones well being or the well being of others. It is not uncommon for people to check items between 10 to 100 times a day. The impulse to recheck can remain until the person experiences a reduction in tension despite the realization that the item is secure. One other less common form of OCD is ordering in which a person feels compelled to place items in a designated spot in order.

Although contamination fears frequently lead to excessive washing they can