Submitted by: Submitted by DeeDee79
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Category: Philosophy and Psychology
Date Submitted: 11/26/2012 02:55 PM
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
December 10, 2008
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder has been regarded as a “neurotic disorder. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic mental disorder most commonly characterized by intrusive, repetitive thoughts resulting in compulsive behaviors and mental acts that the person feels driven to perform, according to rules that must be applied rigidly, aimed at preventing some imagined dreaded event. In severe cases, it affects a person's ability to function in everyday activities. The disorder is often debilitating to the sufferer's quality of life. Also, the psychological self-awareness of the irrationality of the disorder can be painful. For people with severe OCD, it may take several hours a day to carry out the compulsive acts. Experts believe OCD is related to levels of a normal chemical in the brain called serotonin. When the proper flow of serotonin is blocked, the brain's "alarm system" overreacts. Danger messages are mistakenly triggered. Instead of the brain filtering out these unnecessary thoughts, the brain dwells on them—and the person repeatedly experiences unrealistic fears and doubts. (Wikimedia-Obsessive Compulsive disorder)
To be diagnosed Obsessive-Compulsive the person must either have obsessions or compulsions or both. Obsessions are recurrent, persistent ideas, thoughts, images, or impulses that intrude into consciousness and are experienced as senseless or repugnant. They form against ones will, and the person usually attempts to resist them or get rid of them. (Obsessive-compulsive disorder, third edition pg.2) OCD obsessions are repeated, persistent, unwanted ideas, thoughts, images or impulses that you experience involuntarily and that appear to be senseless. These obsessions typically intrude when you're trying to think of or do other things.
Compulsions are repetitive, purposeful forms of behavior that are carried out because of a strong feeling of compulsion to do so. The goal is...