Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Essay

1414 Words3 Pages

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, otherwise known as OCD, is a common mental illness that many people around the world have. OCD is one of the most talked about mental disorders and because of that, every once in a while, one might here a person say, “I have OCD!”, but the truth is that they probably don’t. OCD is a much more complex illness than most people might think.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is not a rare mental or anxiety disorder, according to OCD-UK.org, OCD can affect as many as 12 in every 1000 people, as a result 1.2% of the world population has this condition. This disorder can affect anybody regardless of their gender, ethnicity, or culture. Some of the symptoms of OCD are constant intrusive or obsessive thoughts that include unpleasant thoughts, images, impulses, worries, doubts, or fears. These obsessive thoughts then lead to repetitive impulses or urges, or compulsive behavior that are rituals or actions that are done constantly over and over again to calm the anxiety (“Understanding Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)”, 2013).
There are many different causes for OCD. According to NHS.uk, a person can have OCD because of genetics, brain abnormalities, life events, parenting or family issues, or infections. Genetics can be the cause for some cases of OCD. Up to this date, scientists haven’t found a certain gene that can cause OCD, but there is proof that the condition can be passed along in families (“Obsessive compulsive disorder – Causes”, 5 May 2012).
According to NHS.uk, another cause of OCD is brain abnormalities in parts of the brain that deal with our emotions and how we respond to them. People with OCD experience increased activity, increased blood flow, and the lack of a brain chemical called seroton...

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... 10 with OCD benefit from cognitive behavior therapy (“Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)”, 2012). According to Psychological Science, “ERP is an effective treatment for OCD, with up to 80% of the people who undergo treatment experiencing at least 60% reduction in their symptoms” (Tracy, Jo Anne, et. al., “Classical Conditioning in a Nonclinical Obsessive-Compulsive Population”).
In conclusion, OCD or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a very complex mental and anxiety disorder. It has many causes like genetics, life events and parenting and family issues, brain abnormalities, and infections. There are also many types of OCD that include checking, hoarding, contamination, intrusive thoughts, symmetry and orderliness, and avoidance. Finally there are some therapies that can help cure OCD, like cognitive behavior therapy, exposure and response prevention, and medication.

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