OCDResearchPaper ShaaraimKJJamier
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Shaaraim K. Jamier
Liberty University
Author Note
This paper was prepared for Psychology 430-B04, LOU taught by Professor Cooper.
Abstract
Obsessive-Compulsive disorder (OCD) was once considered to be a disease that was uncommon and even rare in the psychological field. Since more studies have been conducted on the disorder, the previous belief of rarity has been revoked and it is now considered to be grouped into the top ten disabling disease as characterized by the World Health Organization (WHO) (Zohar, J., M.D., & Hermesh, H., M.D. 2008). OCD is a common psychiatric disorder that involves “manifesting with obsessions and compulsions.” The obsessions are the “intrusive, recurrent, persistent, and unwanted thoughts,” while compulsions are the “repetitive behaviors or mental acts” (Bokor & Anderson, 2014). The orbitofrontal cortex, basal ganglia, and anterior cingulate gyrus are involved in the pathophysiology in the brain that contributes to the heterogeneity of OCD. A malfunction of the brain’s circuit cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical is suggested to be a primary cause of OCD, although genetics also play a part. There are numerous drugs that have been helpful in the treatment of OCD that allow the symptoms to subside “such as antipsychotics and dopaminergic agents” (Bokor & Anderson, 2014). Successful treatments of OCD include electroconvulsive therapy, psychotherapy, and pharmacotherapy, with the last resort being surgery (Bokor & Anderson, 2014).
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
What is obsessive-compulsive disorder? It can be described as “thoughts, images, or urges” that can cloud an individual’s mind with persistence, often “invading” their level of consciousness (Comer, 2014, p. 127). It makes the person suffering from this disorder act in a “repetitive and rigid” way in order to “prevent or reduce” the anxiety that they feel (Comer, 2014, p. 127). Statistics estimate that about 1 percent of the
Shaaraim K. Jamier
Liberty University
Author Note
This paper was prepared for Psychology 430-B04, LOU taught by Professor Cooper.
Abstract
Obsessive-Compulsive disorder (OCD) was once considered to be a disease that was uncommon and even rare in the psychological field. Since more studies have been conducted on the disorder, the previous belief of rarity has been revoked and it is now considered to be grouped into the top ten disabling disease as characterized by the World Health Organization (WHO) (Zohar, J., M.D., & Hermesh, H., M.D. 2008). OCD is a common psychiatric disorder that involves “manifesting with obsessions and compulsions.” The obsessions are the “intrusive, recurrent, persistent, and unwanted thoughts,” while compulsions are the “repetitive behaviors or mental acts” (Bokor & Anderson, 2014). The orbitofrontal cortex, basal ganglia, and anterior cingulate gyrus are involved in the pathophysiology in the brain that contributes to the heterogeneity of OCD. A malfunction of the brain’s circuit cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical is suggested to be a primary cause of OCD, although genetics also play a part. There are numerous drugs that have been helpful in the treatment of OCD that allow the symptoms to subside “such as antipsychotics and dopaminergic agents” (Bokor & Anderson, 2014). Successful treatments of OCD include electroconvulsive therapy, psychotherapy, and pharmacotherapy, with the last resort being surgery (Bokor & Anderson, 2014).
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
What is obsessive-compulsive disorder? It can be described as “thoughts, images, or urges” that can cloud an individual’s mind with persistence, often “invading” their level of consciousness (Comer, 2014, p. 127). It makes the person suffering from this disorder act in a “repetitive and rigid” way in order to “prevent or reduce” the anxiety that they feel (Comer, 2014, p. 127). Statistics estimate that about 1 percent of the
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