Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
By: Tate Nurme and Jak Jallah
What is OCD
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a disorder of the brain and behavior. OCD causes severe anxiety in those affected. OCD involves both obsessions and compulsions that take a lot of time and get in the way of important activities the person values.
What is it like to have OCD
Imagine that your mind got stuck on a certain thought or image. Then this thought or image replayed in your mind over and over again no matter what you did. You don’t want these thoughts. Along with the thoughts comes feelings of anxiety. Anxiety is like your brain’s alarm system. When you feel anxious, it feels like you are in danger. Anxiety is an emotion that tells you to respond, react, protect yourself, or do something. On the one hand, you might recognize that the fear doesn’t make sense, doesn’t seem reasonable, yet it still feels very real, intense, and true. Why would you have these feelings if they weren’t true? Feelings don’t lie. Do they?Unfortunately, if you have OCD, they do lie. If you have OCD, the warning system in your brain is not working correctly. Your brain is telling you that you are in danger when you are not.When scientists compare pictures of the brains of groups of people with OCD, they can see that some areas of the brain are different than the brains of people who don’t have OCD. Those who have OCD are desperately trying to get away from the agonizing, unending anxiety.
Signs and Symptoms
- Very anxious, emotional
- signs of depression
- Intrusive thoughts
- Fear of contamination
- Hoarding
- Repeated unwanted ideas
- Fear of contamination
- Aggressive impulses
- Persistent sexual thoughts
- Images of hurting someone you love
- Thoughts that you might cause others harm
- Thoughts that you might be harmed
- Constant checking
- Constant counting
- The repeated cleaning of one or more items
- Repeatedly washing your hands
- Constantly checking the stove or door locks
- Arranging items to face a certain way
Treatments
History of OCD
Famous People With OCD
Donald Trump
Martin Luther
Cameron Diaz
Leonardo DiCaprio
Howie Mandel
David Beckham
Megan Fox
Charles Darwin
Michael Jackson
Beethoven
Albert Einstein
Michelangelo
Katy Perry
Long term and Short term Effects
Long Term Effects
have to do with types of obsessions and compulsions. example: constant hand washing can cause skin breakdown.
OCD does not usually progress into another disease.
OCD is usually accompanied with depression, and other anxiety disorders, including social anxiety, panic disorder, and separation anxiety.
Short Term Effects:
compulsions and obsessions can take up many hours of a person's day.
compulsions and obsessions can interfere with family and social relationships.
compulsions and obsessions can have a negative effect on education and employment.
difficulties performing everyday activities like eating, drinking, shopping or reading.
some may be housebound.
distress and disruption to family members from involvement in the sufferer's rituals before treatment.Citations
Foundation, I. O. (2014). How is OCD Treated? Retrieved March 15, 2016, from https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/treatment/
Mental Health, N. I. (n.d.). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/index.shtml
A. (n.d.). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd