Mental Illness OCD
Olivia Brown
HCA 240
Professor Erika Delamar

Obsessive –Compulsive Disorder –OCD It is normal for everyone to double check things. Check to make sure the stove has been turned off or that the iron is unplugged before leaving the house. People with OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) check things repeatedly, perform rituals over and over again, or have certain thoughts. These thoughts cause distress and prevent people with OCD from living a normal productive life. The frequent thoughts are call obsessions. A person will feel an overwhelming urge to repeat behaviors known as compulsions. OCD patients can’t control their obsessions and compulsions. For example, a person with germs may have a compulsion to wash their hands repeatedly until their skin becomes raw. Healthy people also perform certain rituals such as washing their hand to prevent the speed of germs. The difference is patients with OCD perform their behaviors even though it interrupts their everyday life, and it becomes distressing. OCD symptoms include obsessions, and compulsions, and about one third of people with OCD also have brief, sudden intermittent sounds or movements (tics). The symptoms of obsessions are persistent, repeated, and urges that cause anxiety. People try to avoid these urges by performing a compulsion, the obsessions typically interrupts when the person is trying to think of other things. Some obsession themes are fear of germs, or dirt, arranging thins symmetrically or orderly, thoughts about harming others, or yourself, undesired thoughts, including aggression, sexual or religious objects. Examples of obsession signs and symptoms include; fear of being contaminated by shaking hands or touching other objects other have touched, doubts that you have locked the door or turned off the oven, intense stress when objects are not in order or facing a certain direction, images of hurting others, or yourself, thoughts about shouting profanity, or acting inappropriately, avoiding situations that can trigger obsessions such as shaking hands, distress about unpleasant sexual images repeating in your mind. OCD Compulsions are the repeated behaviors that a person feels driven to perform. The behaviors are used to reduce anxiety or relax the obsession. A person feels the compulsion brings relief from the anxiety. Just like obsession compulsion themes include: washing and cleaning, checking, demanding assurances, strict routines, and orderliness. Compulsions signs and symptoms include hand washing until the skin becomes raw, checking door repeatedly, counting certain patterns, silently repeating a pray, word or phrase, arranging canned goods to face the same direction. Symptoms begin to become worse when a person experiences stress. OVD is considered a time consuming, and disabling mental disorder. OCD symptoms vary and the symptoms may come and go. OCD can prevent a person from performing normal activates, or working. The diagnosis of OCD can be difficult because the symptoms are often similar to those of anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia and other mental diseases. OCD affects about 2.2 million Americans adults. OCD treatment may not produce a cure, but it can assist with bringing symptoms under control. Treatments are psychotherapy and medications, or a combination of both. Therapy called exposure and response prevention is the most effective treatment. It involves exposing the patient to a feared obsession or object, such as dirt, and showing a patient how to deal with their anxiety. Exposures therapy takes practice and effort. This therapy can help the patient enjoy a better quality of life and manage their compulsion and obsessions. Psychiatric medications help control the compulsion and obsessions. Your doctor may prescribe antidepressants approved by the FDA, such as Prozac, Juvox, Pexeva, and Zoloft. It is not unusual to try several medications before