Obsessive compulsive disorder: overview and treatment approaches

¶ … psychological disorders have been identified by specialists in the field. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an example that not only intrigues mental health professionals but also the general public. Psychology Today, with its article 'Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder', and its intention of educating the public, defines this phenomenon shedding light on its symptoms, causes, and treatment.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a neurobiological anxiety condition characterized by repetitive thoughts and actions. The former are obsessions while the latter are compulsions. As with most conditions, the severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder can range from mild to debilitating. Of the two symptoms, obsessions are less externally visible. An obsession is a recurrent thought or feeling that creates anxiety. For example, an individual may repeatedly think that his hands are not clean. As anxiety increases, one attempts to reduce it by performing a repetitive action, called a compulsion or ritual. Using the above example, the recurrent thought of uncleanliness compels the individual to repeatedly wash his hands. Causes of OCD stem from biological, environmental, and cognitive factors. Oftentimes this condition concurrently exists with others, like attention deficit disorder or Tourette's syndrome. Treatment consists of medication and/or cognitive behavioral therapy. The use of one or both approaches can greatly reduce OCD symptoms. Naturally, support from family and friends provide greater chances of successful treatment.

This article, being an overview, satisfactorily addresses obsessive-compulsive disorder. In considering its audience, it does not burden the reader with heavy jargon. Additionally, there are concrete examples that illustrate the symptoms and treatment. For example, the author details a therapeutic exercise for those afflicted with obsessions and compulsions of cleanliness. "Exposure and response prevention" requires a patient to confront the fearful thoughts and then refrain from acting on them (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, 1991). In other words, a patient who worries about contamination will identify such feelings, hold a perceived unsanitary object, and then avoid washing the exposed area for a determined amount of time. This advice is confirmed in a similar article that states, "a patient confronts the feared object or idea, and then practices stopping the ritualistic behavior" (Gard, 2004).

As with most social sciences, it is advantageous to include everyday examples to better illustrate a theory, explanation, or phenomenon. The absence of a case study in the first article makes such deficiency apparent with the reading of the second. In contrast with Psychology Today, Gard not only articulates the definition, symptoms, and treatment, but also weaves personal accounts into the article thereby giving it a more dynamic texture. For example, Elyse relates her experiences by stating her friends "are aware I have this, and when they see me stressed, they call it 'an OCD crisis'" (Gard, 2004). Using such illustrations affords the audience more opportunity to imagine the disorder and treatment applications through everyday situations. Moreover, such a technique grants greater retention of the material.