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As Good As It Gets?: An Examination Of The Mechanism And Mode Of Treatment Of Obsessive-Compulsive

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As Good As It Gets?: An Examination Of The Mechanism And Mode Of Treatment Of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, often referred to as simply OCD, is a mental illness in which an individual experiences endless cycles of repeated thoughts and rituals, known as obsessions and compulsions, which she feels she cannot control (1). Although many people possess habits and routines that help them organize their every day schedules, people with OCD form patterns of behavior that are extremely time-consuming and interfere with their daily lives. Once believed to be a rare and incurable disease which people kept hidden for fear of embarrassment (2), OCD is now recognized as being far more common than previously …show more content…

The second major component of OCD are compulsions, or voluntary, irresistible actions that are apparently stereotyped or ritualistic (4). Approximately 80% of all OCD sufferers experience compulsions along with obsessions (4), while only 20% experience one of the two. A person with OCD may be driven to perform the compulsive act in order to produce or prevent another situation from happening. In most cases, the compulsive person is aware that the act is meaningless or unreasonable, however, avoiding the urge to perform the act often leads to unsurpassable amounts of stress and anxiety (4). Only when the act is carried out is the person's anxiety once again relieved. Examples of compulsions include: hand washing or wearing gloves, ordering and arranging items in specific ways, and checking rituals involving locks and appliances (2).

Strong evidence suggests that OCD has both psychological and biological components (3). In the past, the causes of OCD have strictly been attributed to external factors such as family problems or learned behaviors (such as an emphasis on cleanliness). However, when OCD-like behavior was observed in other animal species including dogs, horses, and birds, attention was redirected to finding a neurobiological cause for the disorder as

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