Essay about Psychological Disorders

Submitted By SallyBlodgett
Words: 783
Pages: 4

Talking in front of a group of people makes me really nervous and I stutter, I talk really fast, or I will completely forget what I am trying to say. And well, if it is an assignment that requires me to give a speech it forces me to get rid of my fears. The reason I find Social Phobia Disorder so interesting is because as nervous as I am to get up and do a speech in front of a group of people, I am always able to do it. To be so terrified of embarrassing myself in front of people and to lock myself in my home and refuse to come out, or even quit school because I could not pass public speaking would be horrific. Trying to understand how these people feel is really hard for me to comprehend on such an exaggerated level, and I am very interested to learn more about this disorder.
Another Anxiety Disorder that I am fascinated by is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Many people joke about having “An OCD,” as do I at times. I dislike living in a dirty house, and I am constantly cleaning, and I am easily agitated when it is dirtied or something is not in its “perfect” place. On the other hand, I can still am able to properly mentally function if there is a bit of disorder. People with Obsessive-Compulsive disorders have a constant thought and have to repeatedly do something over and over again, and it still would not be right. The cognitive thought-process behind this disorder is what interests me the most.
There are differences in the diagnostic criteria between Social Phobia and OCD. People with social phobia have an unrelenting, strong, and continuing gear of being judged and scrutinized by others, and of being humiliated by their own actions. Even though many people realize that their fear is irrational, they are still unable to overcome them. People with OCD have repeated thoughts or images such as fear of germs, dirt, or intruders. They also fear violence, hurting loved ones, and sexual acts. Being overly neat is another criterion for OCD patients. Repeatedly doing the same rituals over and over such as washing hands, locking and unlocking doors, counting, keeping unneeded items, or repeating the same steps again and again are another criterion for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Both of these disorders cause major distress and will eventually get in the way of a person’s daily life.
The causes for these disorders could be anything. Scientists believe from an ongoing research on the brain Social Phobia could be caused by an overreaction of the central part of the brain called the amygdala, it is believed to control the responses for fear. The Sociological concept “Nature v. Nurture” could also be applied for the cause of this disorder. Nature due to the fact it could be hereditary, while on the nurture spectrum, people may acquire their fears from observing others, a process that is called observational learning. On the other hand, causes for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder could include, behavioral or environmental influences,