Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Essay

Imagine a person walking quickly in circles, muttering quietly to himself or herself, or washing his or her hands for hours on end, convinced the germs are still there and spreading.   Imagine a young person who feels compelled to count the number of steps he or she takes on the way to the mailbox and back, just so that the dog lives another day.   For many people, this is life with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).   Hallmarked by a series of uncomfortable beliefs and associated actions, the disorder can easily affect all aspects of a client’s life.   The clinical picture of the disorder, the etiology, and treatment are what differentiate OCD not only from other anxiety disorders, but from other mental health concerns as well.  
The clinical picture of the disorder is comprised of many aspects which come together to help a mental health professional accurately diagnose and treat this debilitating disease.   The symptoms of OCD are often easily recognizable, even to those who are not trained to look for them.   A shortlist of symptoms according to Comer (2010) are, “recurrent obsessions or compulsions, recognition that these obsessions or compulsions are unreasonable or excessive, and significant life stress (p. 150).”   The DSM-IV-TR also notes that to help differentiate true obsessive thoughts, one must be sure that the thoughts are not those associated with thought insertion that is common in paranoid schizophrenia, that the thoughts are not worrying about normal daily functioning coupled with a lack of coping skills, and that the patient has more anxiety once he or she discovers that he or she cannot control the thoughts, or help them to dissipate (American Psychiatric Association [APA] 2000).   Obsessive thoughts are not an uncommon occurrence in a healthy population, however they are often more severe and prolonged in those suffering with OCD.   The obsessive thoughts can range from a sense of foreboding, to a preoccupation with the death of a loved one,...