Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Introduction

Some of us are perfectionist. A friend of mine liked to keep her house clean. She couldn't stand misplacement of things. However, she did not suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. People diagnosed with Obsessive compulsive Disorder are obsessed with something so much and go back to checking something so often that it becomes a hurdle in their daily routine (Fenske & Schwenk, p. 239). This disorder is marked by compulsive behaviors and obsessive thoughts. The OCD patients try to shun these unwarranted thoughts out of their mind and come up with different self management strategies for it such as counting in the mind in silence or holding a certain chair in a certain position. These people sometimes feel as if they do not belong in that they are different from the others and attract unlikable, unwanted attraction. The paper discusses the disorder in detail shedding light on its signs and symptoms as well as treatment methodologies.

The disease

Obsessive compulsive disorder is an anxiety. This becomes a problem because the thoughts and the obsessions that the person is feeling are irrational. This behavior of the person becomes a ritual. An interest thing to note here is the fact that the person knows that his behavior is irrational but he fails to do something about it. They can't come out of their feeling. The disorder causes the brain to get stuck with a certain thought. Unless the person does something about it he is unable to do something else. This is why the behavior becomes repetitive in that even a person may have washed his hands, the brain again sends the message that the hands are dirty or unclean (Freeston & Ladouceur, p. 335).

Classifications of patients

The patients of obsessive compulsive disorder can be grouped into certain categories. These are based on the most common obsessions (Stewart, p. 285).

Washers - these are people who are afraid that the world around them is contaminated. They want everything super clean. They may be found washing their hands many times before a single meal or taking shower many times in a single day. They may also keep their house so clean as if no one really dwells there.

Checkers - these are people who are obsessed with the feeling that something will harm them or they are endangered. They may check the lock on the door many times to make sure they haven't left it ...