Obsessive compulsive disorder - Essay Example

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychological experience considered an Axis 1 mental illness in the DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 1994). According to the DSM OCD is defined as either a person being obsessed with a topic or concept or compelled to think particular thoughts or to undertake particular actions. Obsessions can be defined as recurrent and persistent thoughts, images of impulses that are experienced during the OCD experience, and these are perceived as being intrusive and inappropriate and generally cause distress and or anxiety to the person experiencing them (March, 2006; Salkovskis et al.

, 2000; Wroe & Salkovskis, 2000). Common distressing thoughts, actions or verbalizations may be sexual in nature (10%), moral/religious/blasphemous (11%), aggressive (29%), contamination-disease (46%), or to do with symmetry and sequence (27%) (Matthews, Reynolds, & Derisley, 2006). These excessive thoughts, impulses and images are not just over stressing about day-to-day life, for as the person tries to suppress or dispel such thoughts, impulses or images or attempts to supplement them with other thoughts, images or actions, they cannot suppress or dispel their experience. . nuously checking that a door is locked, or repetitive mental acts, such as praying or counting, results in the person feeling driven to undertake the behavior of thought according to a rigid set of rules (Rosack, 2004).

The behaviors and mental acts prevent or reduce the anxiety and distress that is experienced, alternatively, the thoughts and behaviors may inhibit a dreaded event from occurring. Obsessions and compulsions cause significant distress, can take up much of the person's time during the day, and can dramatically interfere with their normal routine in everyday life, such as inhibiting them from carrying out their work role or attending to academic studies (Simonds, Thorpe, & Elliott, 2000). Experiences also negatively affect their ability to engage in social activities or to have fulfilling relationships.

Additionally, if another Axis 1 mental illness is present then the content of the obsessions and or compulsions may not be restricted to it; for example, being preoccupied with food when an eating disorder is also present. Hollander, Cohen and Stein (2005) categorises one type of OCD experiences as repetitive behaviors that are driven by pleasure or arousal, such as pathological gambling, as the act of gambling involves risk and reward. In a study by Anholt and colleagues (2004) a comparison of the dysfunctional beliefs of those with diagnosed OCD and participants diagnosed as pathological gamblers or panic disorder, and a group of normal controls.

Beliefs were measured using the Obsessive-Compulsive Beliefs Questionnaire-87 (OBQ-87). It was anticipated that the pathological gamblers would have similar cognitions to the OCD group; and have high levels of OCD symptoms. The results showed that the OCD group and the gambling group had similar OBQ-87 scores;