Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive Compulsion Disorder Introduction Obsessive compulsive disorder commonly referred to as OCD is an anxiety disorder driven by obsessive and repetitive thoughts and actions. The thoughts are intrusive resulting in to uneasiness, fear, worry or apprehension and cause a person to act in ways aimed at reducing the anxiety. The thoughts and actions are uncontrollable even when the individual is aware of them. OCD is one of the common mental disorders with about two percent of the United States of America adults suffering from the disorder. It affects people of all ages including children and adults. About 30-50 percent of the adults suffering from the mental disorder are said to have been affected since childhood, which indicates that OCD is a continuum from childhood to adulthood (Clark 2004).
These obsessions are recurrent thoughts that persist even when there is a spirited effort to confront or ignore them. The performance of various task (compulsions) is aimed at easing the victims from the obsession related worry, fear or apprehension. Such obsession may involve tension or a cognitive sense of mind. The actions of the victims have been associated with being a perfectionist and being keen to details due to the actions of repeated confirmations. These include re-checking whether the door is properly locked, repeated washing of hands to make sure they are clean, arranging and rearranging of things to make sure they are okay and lots of other repeated actions just to make sure they are well kept or safe (Hyman 2010).
Obsessive compulsive disorder is caused by biological and psychological factors. Biologically, the neurotransmitter serotonin abnormalities have been linked to the OCD as serotonin is believed to have a role in controlling anxiety, as it has to attach to the receptors of chemical messages sent from a neighboring Neuron. For individuals suffering from the OCD, it is believed that their serotonin receptors are under stimulated. It has also been observed that the victims use Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) as medication allowing them to make more serotonin for the nerve cells. Research on identical twins has proven that there is a hereditary factor in neurotic anxiety. For cases that have been diagnosed at childhood, the link to gene inheritance from their family is stronger than for cases where OCD developed during adulthood. Between 40-65 percent of childhood cases are linked to genetic inheritance. Environmental factors can help either alleviate or reduce the intensity of the disorder (March 2007).
OCD can be managed though behavioral therapy using a technique called “ exposure and ritual prevention” that involves learning to live with the associated anxiety without performing the associated behavior for example, where a person is encouraged not to counter check whether he or she had locked the house properly when the obsessive thought strikes him on leaving the house. This gradually habituates the apprehension and with time reduces the anxiety levels, with time the victims will leave at ease without countering their thoughts with repetitive actions (compulsions). This treatment has been used as the most efficient treatment for OCD. It has also been used together with medication to produce better results than when used alone or when medication is used alone (Hyman 2010).
Medication for the OCD includes SSRIs medicines such as fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, and escitalopram and trcyclic antidepressants, particularly clomipramine. This medication prevents pumping back of excess serotonin to the neuron that had released it and instead binding it to the receptor cells of the neighboring neurons hence sending messages that can cause the regulation of anxiety and intrusive thoughts. When dealing with cases that do not respond well to treatment, clomipramine has been used together with SSRI to produce good results (Clark 2004).
In severe cases, Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has used. This includes Psychosurgery, which is done as the last option. The victims’ cingulated cortex in the brain is where the surgical operation takes place. The activity does not damage the tissues of the brain but induces brain and vagus nerve stimulation. The United States of America food and drug administration have approved the treatment (Hyman 2010).
Therapeutic treatment is the most efficient for children and adolescent. Parents and family members role in controlling and observing the actions and behaviors of children is vital. The child should be taught about what the nature of his thoughts and actions are and how to cope with them (March 2007).
Conclusion
This mental disorder can easily be confused with a person’s personality of being a perfectionist, keen to details, caring, loving or fearful but when diagnosed and distinguished from personality traits, it can be managed and hence avoiding some uncontrolled repeated actions. The disorder is common among all ages and it is transmitted both biologically and psychologically with environmental factors playing a big role in the way it advances. OCD victims can be treated through medication and specified therapies.
References
Clark, D. (2004). Cognitive-behavioral Therapy for OCD. New York: Guilford Press.
Hyman, B. (2010). The OCD Workbook: Your Guide to Breaking Free From Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
March, J. (2007). Talking Back to OCD: thePprogram That Helps Kids and Teens Say ” No Way”– and Parents Say ” Way To Go. New York: Guilford