Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Symptoms and Treatment - Research Paper Example

?Introduction Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a disease that categorically falls under anxiety disorders. From its this is a disease of obsessions and compulsions. It makes an individual have many extensive, unwanted and unreasonable fears. Due to this, a person with this chronic disease ends up engaging in repetitive actions, behaviors or rituals (compulsions) (Wortman, 2012). An ideal example is an individual who has immense fear of germs. Such a person will be afraid of opening doors or of shaking people’s hands. It is an ordinary thing for people to check and make sure that door locks have been securely locked, but when a person does this too many times than he or she should, then this might be symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder. A person going to bed is likely to check if they have secured their door, but a person with this disease will check and recheck the door knob so many times before they actually sleep. They need to guarantee themselves that they are secure. These people give in to their compulsions in an effort to rid themselves of their fears. Obsessive compulsive disorder interferes with the sick person’s daily schedule. For instance, they might clean their carpets all night for fear of germs, or wash their hands for hours to make sure that there are no germs. Research conducted shows that about 3.5 million people in the USA suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder (Menzies and Silva, 2003). Is obsessive compulsive disorder learned or inherited? The cause of this disorder not definite; it is neither purely learned nor purely inherited. This is because, as will be seen in the work below, it is a chronic disorder, a lifelong disease that develops in an individual, over which they cannot seem to control (Wortman, 2012). The work that follows is a research and analysis of the disease, and there after, a justification on the stand that this disorder is neither purely learned nor purely inherited shall be provided. People with obsessive compulsive disorder usually pay great attention to evenness. In this, they ensure that things like books are placed facing the same side or that some canned products face the same direction. In addition, some of these people have obsessions with numbers and counting. David Beckham, a renowned footballer admits that he suffers from this kind of obsessive compulsive disorder. He does not allow anything in his house to add up to an odd number, and for his clothes, he really values a pair of whatever he can afford (Wortman, 2012). Some people with this disorder are obsessed with cleaning. They will spend too many hours cleaning or washing their hands to get rid of germs (Wortman, 2012). Signs and symptoms Signs are the invisible indicators of an illness whereas symptoms are visible. The common signs and symptoms of obsessions are briefly mentioned below. People with this disorder often avoid shaking hands with others, holding objects that other people have held(for example door knobs), sitting in places where others have sat, all this in fear of germs and contagion. Also, they may hold extensive sexual thoughts, great fear of hurting someone or fear that something bad might happen. They also stockpile useless things for fear that they might dispose something very important (Penzel, 2000). These thoughts and obsessions always lead to compulsions. Penzel (2000) notes that Some of the symptoms of compulsions include checking the door so many times to ensure the door is locked, repeated and prolonged washing of hands leading to dermatitis, checking and counterchecking that the gas or stove is put off, being frantic when things are not arranged in the order they want many others (Penzel, 2000). Other indicators of these disorders are skin picking, cases of hair losses due to too much pulling, nail biting among others. These obsession and compulsion signs and symptoms come naturally. For every obsession, there is a compulsive ritual or activity undertaken to subdue this fear (Wortman, 2012). Primarily obsessional obsessive compulsive disorder is one form of this disorder. It manifests itself by people having too many disturbing and unwanted thoughts in their mind (Menzies and Silva, 2003). They may be of fatal events, or sexual thoughts. As a result, the compulsions in this form of disorder make a person undertake rituals that are completely unrelated to the thoughts. Some of these rituals are mental, and is usually hard for other people to understand the person with this disorder. For instance, a man refused to be driving his children to school for fear that he will get them killed in accident. Neither the children nor the wife understood the man (Penzel, 2000). Diagnosis Obsessive compulsive disorder can only be diagnosed when an individual shows some of the above mentioned signs and symptoms. They have to describe their behavior to a psychiatrist or a clinician, making sure to mention all the symptoms, however embarrassing they may be (Penzel, 2000). A physical exam may also be necessary, which might comprise of close monitoring of the patient. A mental health check up should also help to make a diagnosis. When diagnosed, the patient’s doctor will be able to determine which form of treatment will be adopted. However, the symptoms might be there at one moment and gone in the next. The intensity and demand for compulsion or ritualistic activities might also change and therefore, a clear and close observation is important for diagnosis (Wortman, 2012). Causes The causes of this disease have not been clearly understood, but there are suggestions on the probable causes. Lack of enough serotonin can contribute to this disease. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain that sends messages, and is also responsible for regulation of anxiety. When it is produced in an insufficient amount, scientists suggest that it can lead to obsessive compulsive disorder (Wortman, 2012). In addition, there are suggestions that injuries on the head and other complex infections might lead to the disease. Research, which has not yet been proven, tries to show that there may be relationships between genetics and this disorder and of environmental factors too (Menzies and Silva, 2013). Treatment Treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is in two ways. The first and most used way is the application of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Wortman, 2012). This is where the cause of a person’s fear, which results to the ritual activities and compulsions, is identified. Once this is done, the person is placed in an environment with these fears. The patient is then expected to react to these fears, face them and in due time, the number of times that they give in to these compulsions is reduced. For example, supposing a person has great fear of germs and contamination, such that they cannot shake hands with other people. In application of cognitive behavioral therapy, the patient will be expected to shake hands, at least with one person, and then monitor how long they will wash their hands. With time, this fear is supposed to decrease and subside, to a point where they can comfortably shake hands with people, open door knobs without having to cover their hands or even carry out their daily tasks with no, or minimized fear of germs. The number of times and the length of time which they wash their hands out of fear should reduce to normal, or to almost normal. In this, the brain is taught to resist the compulsions (Menzies and Silva, 2003). Treatment may also be in form of administering medicines such as antipsychotics and antidepressants which reduce the effects of the obsessions and also help manage the effect of the disorder. The use and administration of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors is part of the medication (Penzel, 2000). This will help to increase the level of serotonin which is usually low in people with this condition. It helps boost its level and the patient gets better with continued administration. Prognosis and chances Research conducted shows that anyone can get this disease, regardless of race, age or location (Penzel, 2000). However, the more susceptible are people in their early ages (8 to 12 years), and those in the period between their late adolescent and early adult years (Wortman, 2012). A person with obsessive-compulsive-disorder, with continued and appropriate medication might improve, recover and get better completely, whereas others might not improve at all. Conducted research shows that about 50 % of people with obsessive-compulsive- disorder improve and get even better with time (Penzel, 2000). Their improvement is noted in the reduced level of their anxiety and their fears. For instance, a person who could spend several hours cleaning their hands might reduce to washing them for lesser time. The fear has not completely gone away but they definitely spend lesser time and interfere with their daily schedules less. There are about 10% of people who completely recover from this disease (Wortman, 2012). Research shows that these people lead a normal life and no longer have their earlier fears. However, 8% of the patients do not recover, do not improve or get better but rather they get worse (Penzel, 2000). For them, their fears, in spite of the medication and therapy escalate more and more. If they used to check their door knobs about ten times before going to bed, these people end up checking them many more times. The complications of this disease are many, but they might vary in different people. Some of the common complications are that the sick person can end up being depressed. This is one of the most known effects of this disease. Also, a person might suffer from dermatitis, which refers to a skin condition due to too much and frequent washing and scrubbing of ones hands. A person might experience difficulty in their social lives and in their relationships due to their many fears (Menzies and Silva, 2003). Thoughts of committing suicide or disorders in eating might also arise. To a greater extent, this disease might make it impossible for one to go to work (Penzel, 2000) Learned or inherited? Some people argue that obsessive compulsive disorder is learned, while others say that it is inherited (Wortman, 2012). As earlier stated in this work, this disease is neither purely learned nor purely inherited. In the causes section, it was seen that shortage of serotonin is one of the leading causes of this disease. This shortage affects the brain and also fails in regulating anxiety and fears, clearly showing that this disease is a biology process. The people who suffer from this disorder know that the thoughts in their minds are not real, that they are being irrational and seeing things that in reality are not there. They also know that the ritualistic activities which they spend too much time taking are irrational. Unfortunately, they cannot seem to control themselves from the compulsions (Penzel, 2000). Famous people have admitted to having had this disorder, and they at times affected them in their work. A good example is the host of the television show, ‘The Apprentice, Donald Trump. He admitted to have immense fear for germs which in the earlier years affected his work. However, with time, his condition has improved (Wortman, 2012). This condition has adverse effects, and if it could be gotten rid of, (if it were learned), celebrities and people would not stop at anything. This condition is not purely inherent. Research does show that some of the people with this disability had parents or close relatives that had suffered from the condition (Penzel, 2000). However, genetics and gene mutation cannot be solely attributed to this condition. If hereditary factors were all purely responsible for this condition, then the number would definitely be lower seeing that there are others who have no history of this infection (Wortman, 2012). Another factor that shows that this disorder is not learned or inherited is the fact that one might not even know when it’s starting. A person might think that since they are meticulous and exemplary clean, that they suffer from this condition. So long as this cleaning does not lead to an obsession, then this is not a disorder that one can learn to copy from others (Menzies and Silva, 2003). Obsession compulsive disorder should not be confused with obsessive compulsive personality disorder. The case of frequent cleaning can be used to explain this. For a person with obsessive compulsive disorder, they will keep cleaning, and this will interfere with their daily tasks, but they will do it due to fear of germs and contamination. However, the one with obsessive compulsive personality disorder will clean for self image and appearance (Penzel, 2000). They won’t let the cleaning interfere with their schedule. For them, it’s about self esteem and self appearance. Obsessive compulsive personality disorder is what can be said to be learnt, since people can teach themselves to be exceptionally clean. They can emulate others and start doing the same things that they do, but with obsessive compulsive disorder, it is not purely learned or inherited (Wortman, 2012). However, future research, when conducted, especially on the causes, might shed more light on this disorder. Conclusion From the above analysis of obsessive compulsive disorder, the stand that this disease is not purely learnt or inherited can be maintained. One does not even realize that they are sick until the condition runs out of hand. Research has not established any proven fact and given cases to prove and establish that a person learnt this behavior. There are traces of genetics in this disorder, but they are not to justify that this disease is purely inherited (Wortman, 2012). In most of the many case studies conducted, only about 10 percent have histories of relatives who had this disease, and no single case to show that this disorder is purely learned (Wortman, 2012). The general feeling about this disorder is that it can be managed. The case of people who get worse after therapy is very low and hence there is enough hope for those with the chronic disease (Menzies and Silva, 2003). However, there is dire need for further research so as to have a better understanding of this illness. It needs to be popularized and made known to people, so that they can in turn know what to do if they have the disorder, and how to prevent it if they do not have it. References Menzies, R., & Silva, P. (2003). Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Theory Research and Treatment. New York: John Willey and Sons. Penzel, F. (2000). Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: A Complete Guide to Getting Well and Staying Well. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Wortmann, F. (2012). Triggered: A Memoir of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. London: St. Martins Press. Read More