Isabel Gonzalez Period 2

1. Isabel Gonzalez Period 2

2. Is a Anxiety Disorder that involves unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and/or actions (compulsions). To get rid of those unwanted thoughts a person does the same tasks over and over again.

3. Associated Features Fear of germs or dirt. Fear of harming people. People feel uncontrolling of their own thoughts and actions. People that have OCD know they have it but just can’t stop it. Ex. Locking doors multiple times, washing hands several times a day, believing that moving something will cause a person to be in danger, or having everything symmetric. http://youtu.be/fdc6KQmOb70

4. DSM-IV-TR Criteria • Either obsessions or compulsions: Obsessions as defined by (1), (2), (3), and (4): • Recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and inappropriate and that cause marked anxiety or distress • the thoughts, impulses, or images are not simply excessive worries about realife problems • The person attempts to ignore or surpress such thoughts, impulses, or images, or to neutralize them with some other thought or action • the person recognizes that the obsessional thoughts, impulses, or images are a product of his or her own mind ( not imposed from without as in thought insertion) Compulsions as defined by (1) and (2): • Repetitive behaviors or mental actions done because of obsessions and compulsions • The behaviors or mental acts are aimed to prevent or reduce distress or preventing some dreaded event or situation.

5. Continued.. B. At some point during the course of the disorder, the person has recognized that the obsessions or compulsions are excessive or unreasonable. Note:this does not apply to children C. The Obsession or compulsions cause marked distress, are time consuming ( take more than one hour a day), or significantly interfere with the person’s normal routine, occuptional (or academic) functioning, or usual social activities or relationships. D. If anotherAxis I disorder is present, the content of the obsessions or compulsions is not restricted to it (e.g., preoccupationwith food in the presence of Eating Disorder…or guilty ruminations in the presence of Major Depressive Disorder). E. The disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition.

6. Etiology • There is no known cause for OCD, but those with it have a different brain circuitry than those who don’t have OCD. • Biological factors that has been connected with OCD is insufficient levels of serotonin. • Serotonin: chemical in the brain that helps regulate mood and emotions. • The serontonin is a neuro transmitter that is used by nerve cells to communicate with each other. Therefore, insufficient serotonin can interfere with the brain’s normal function. • OCD patients when taking medication that enhances the action of serotonin often have fewer OCD symptoms.

7. Prevalence The National Institute of Mental Health states that more than 2 million people in the United States suffer from OCD. Other estimates are as high as 6 to 9 million people. 1 in 40 adults have OCD 1 in 200 school-aged children have OCD

8. OCD in Children It’s a bit difficult to diagnose OCD on a child because Children have different physiology than adults and their actions are not easy to identify as abnormal. 1 in 200 children have OCD Most children have anxiety over separating from their mother or fathers at nighttime. Ex. Two year old Alaina has to line up all her stuffed animals on a bench and if her mother moves it she rearranges them until she feels that it is right. She also has her mother read three books in a certain order.

9. Treatment • The two main treatments for OCD are psychotherapy and medication. They are most effective done together. • Cognitive-Behavioral therapy has been the shown to be the most effective form of therapy in adults and children. • ERP (exposure and response prevention)- is a type of cognitive therapy that has been very effective on several patients. It exposes the patient feared objects or situations in the hope that they can learn healthier ways of coping with anxiety.

10. Prognosis • There are many treatments that can help reduce OCD and help you learn new ways to deal with the condition but it will never go away. • People have said that they don’t have OCD anymore but constant therapy and medication is what keeps you well and able to control your own life.

11. Reference • Halgin, R. P. , & Whitbourne, S. K. Abnormal Psychology: clinical perspectives on psychological disorder. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. • Myers, D, G, (2011). Myers’ psychology for AP. New York, NY: Worth Publishers. • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Causes, Symptoms, Treatments, and More. (2008, June 25). WebMD - Better information. Better health.. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/tc/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd-topic overview • How common is Obsessive Compulsive Behavior - OCD Statistics. (n.d.). Mental Health Center - Anxiety, Depression, Social Anxiety Disorder, Panic Attacks, ADHD - Adults, Teens and Children. Retrieved from http://www.thehealthcenter.info/adult-ocd/how- common-is-ocd.htm • Elliott, C. H., & Smith, L. L. (2009). Obsessive compulsive disorder for dummies . Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley publishing Inc.. • Parks, P. J. (2011). Obsessive-compulsive disorder . San Diego, CA: Reference Point Press. • Carmin, C. N., & Coulter, A. (2009). Obsessive-compulsive disorder demystified: an essential guide for understanding and living with OCD. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press.

12. Discussion Question • How can Classical Conditioning or Operant Conditioning be applied to OCD? • How do you think OCD can be prevented?