Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Nature vs Nurture

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Since the beginnings of psychology the debate of nature verses nurture has been going on. Certain psychologists take the position of the nature perspective. They argue that people are born with predispositions towards certain personalities, traits and other characteristics that help shape them into the people that they become later in life. Meanwhile multiple other psychologists argue the nurture perspective. They believe that people are born as a blank slate and their experiences over the course of life help shape their personalities, traits, and other characteristics. One topic that can be argued from both perspectives is obsessive-compulsive disorder. People who develop Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder are influenced by their inherited predispositions and the events that unfold in their environment. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a disorder which causes people to develop an anxiety when certain obsessions or compulsions are not fulfilled. OCD can affect both children and adults with more than half of all adults with OCD stating that they experienced signs as a child. People living with OCD display many obvious signs such as opening and closing a door fifty times because they have to do it “just right”. Others exhibit extreme cleanliness and will wash their hands or take showers as often as they can because they constantly feel dirty. OCD devastates people’s social lives as they are fixated and obsessed with perfection that can take forever to achieve. However people living with OCD are often found to have an above average intelligence and typically excel at school due to their detail oriented mindset, cautious planning and patience. OCD can be caused by many different factors such as genetics or the ever changing world a... ... middle of paper ... ...c but it would take a substantial amount of evidence for my viewpoint to completely change. Human’s hereditary dispositions and ever-changing eventful life can influence the development of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The debate between nature and nurture captivates countless amounts of people who take a side and hold steadfast to their opinion. No agreement will ever be reached until one side can definitively prove the other one wrong beyond a reasonable doubt. Works Cited "Nature Versus Nurture and Anxiety Disorders." Nature Versus Nurture and Anxiety Disorders. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Causes of Ocd." By Ruth Moran. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD." NIMH RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. "OCD and Genetics." About.com Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.

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