Essay About Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder And Essay Title

What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
Essay title: What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
What is Obsessive-compulsive disorder? Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of the
anxiety disorders and is potentially disabling condition according to national institute
of mental health, NIMH (2000). Individuals with OCD become trapped in a pattern of
repetitive thoughts and behaviors that can be senseless and distressing but are extremely
hard to over come. Such as checking things repeatedly (e.g. doors, locks and stoves),
constant counting either “in ones head” or outwardly, etc. Most of theses obsessions are
persistent fears that harm may come to self or a loved one, or an unreasonable concern
with becoming contaminated, also excessive need for perfection. According to NIMH (2000),
sometimes the obsessions are of a violent or a sexual nature, or concern illness.
“Although once thought to be rare, OCD afflicts as many as five million Americans or one
in fifty. The disorder is found uniformly in men, women, children and people of all races
and socio-economic backgrounds.” (Maidment 1999) According to NIMH (2000), OCD usually
begins in adolescence or early adult hood, it may begin in the early childhood years.
Onset age is earlier in males between ages 6 and 15 years and between ages 20 and 29 in
females. In most cases onset is gradual but some acute onset cases have been noted.
Most people with OCD struggle to hide their illness for fear of thought of being
“outcast”, fear of medication and fear of facing ones fears in behavior therapy. “Usually
people hide their illness because of feeling shame for doing/thinking such bizarre
things” (Susan F, OC foundation, 1999) They are often successful in concealing their
disorder. More often than not they are successful in concealing their
obsessive-compulsive symptoms from friends and co-workers. An unfortunate consequence of
this secrecy is that people usually do not receive