Ocd In American Culture

743 Words3 Pages
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) The definition of what is normal varies from culture to culture. It’s a complex subject to define because the world is relatively different. There are many religions, beliefs, and cultures that shape us all as individuals. Social ethics and principles may help us understand what is considered “abnormal” in a specific society. In a western culture like ours OCD has been a predominant mental illness over the past few years. More and more people are being diagnosed and treated with the disease. In this essay we will get a better understanding of this common mental illness, its symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and how it has influenced the American culture. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is described as…show more content…
Most common TV shows and Hollywood movies portray their main characters as suffering from the illness. Nevertheless, OCD is a serious mental illness that can seriously interfere with a person’s life. It has been a phenomenon in popular culture to refer to someone who is particularly organized and neat as someone with OCD. This doesn't necessarily mean that a person who is organized is suffering from the disorder. However, it has become mainstream the biased use of the term. Socially constructed stereotypes can have a negative effect on people suffering from OCD. According to the essay "What's So Funny About Obsessive Compulsive Disorder" written by Paul Celafu, associate professor in the department of English at Lafayette College in Easton Pennsylvania. He discusses how The illness is portrayed as a joke in the media. "The media, in its recent portrayals of OCD, consistently represents the disorder with levity and humor. These portrayals typically cast obsessives as the protagonists in comedies or tragicomedies, especially in popular culture. While there have been comedic depictions of obsessives in the past... the prevalence of these depictions is a recent phenomenon." (Cefalu, 2009, pp.45.) another prejudice that is hard for a person suffering from OCD is being labeled as "crazy". These stereotypes and stigma of craziness makes the person withdraw from social activities and ultimately become an

More about Ocd In American Culture

Open Document