FOR ZEEK THE GEEK ONLY!

ROUGH DRAFT ON OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER

Using your outline as a guide, write a rough draft of your Psychology Research Paper.

Your paper must be 4-5 pages in length, not including a cover page and reference page. The paper must not only describe current trends within your topic area, but you should demonstrate how your topic relates to the broad field of psychology. It should contain a strong thesis statement supported by research from at least 3 different credible sources. Include both in-text citations and a References page in APA format.

All information that has been done so far on paper is below:

Research Report Topic Selection

I have not fully decided on the topic for my research report, but I am leaning towards Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The reason I am leaning towards this topic is I have a number of OCD issues, although nothing really major at this point and I have tried to ignore them when they come up, to no avail. I have always had the tendency to check doors to make sure they are locked- 4 or 5 times a night growing up, and now it is not only doors but windows also. I have a very hard time traveling anywhere that might require an overnight stay- I have a huge issue with hotel rooms. I almost panic at the thought of staying in one, and take a complete bedding set with me when I am (sheets, comforter, pillows, etc.…). My bare feet cannot touch any part of the room, I have to have house shoes on if my shoes are off. These are just some of the issues I have with OCD- I could write several more pages on the issues I have.

Annotated Bibliography

Abramowitz, J., S. (2006). The Psychological Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 51(7), 407. Retrieved from

http://www.jabramowitz.com/uploads/1/0/4/8/10489300/canjpsychiatryreview.pdf

In this article, Abramowitz discusses the psychological treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He showcased how this treatment has been the greatest success in the field of mental health when it is exposed and combined with response prevention (ERP) methods. The article is reliable because it was written by an acclaimed author in the mental field as well as published by the well-known journal. This article will be helpful because it documents various treatment outcomes on Exposure Response Prevention Therapy (ERP) for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder as well as compared cognitive therapy on different psychological treatments for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Abramowitz recognizes that the development of Exposure Response Prevention Therapy (ERP) has improved the prognosis for people suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in the span of twenty years. However, it is important not to forget that ERP procedures are not perfect because a considerable amount of patients fails to see the benefits of the treatment leading them to refuse it or drop out too early.

National Institute of Mental Health. (2013).Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD. Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/index.shtml

This publication gave a deep understanding of what is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), its causes as well as the various signs and symptoms an individual with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) showcases. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is the world’s biggest government funded a scientific organization that focuses on the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of various mental illnesses and disorder. Any information on the organization’s website can be trusted. The article recognized that just because a person feels the need to double check things at times that does not mean they have OCD. However, people suffering from OCD often times has this need of checking things over and over again to the point of it interfering with their daily life. Additionally, the article points out that the causes of OCD are not clear, but family history, fear, and anxiety may be triggering factors. In general, the article states although OCD symptoms are easily detectable, they can be mistaken for other mental disorders. These include having repeated thought or images about things that provoke a deep fear of intruders, germs, sexual acts, being abnormally tidy, acts of violence that may hurt loved ones as well as being in conflicts with religious or moral beliefs.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder OCD-UK. (2013). The Different Types of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Retrieved from http://www.ocduk.org/types-ocd.

The information in this publication explained the traditional categories of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) as well as the many subtypes existing with each category. The article states that usually, every person suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) falls into one of the four types or category of the disorder. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD-UK is a United Kingdom based charity organization that provides valuable medical information. The information provided is solely used for educational purposes and can be depended upon. The article explained all the four forms of OCD that include ruminations such as intrusive thoughts; hoarding, contamination that can be mental as well as checking. However, it equally acknowledges that by no means, the list presented was exhaustive enough of the list and that there may be other forms of OCD that are not featured in the research conducted in this article. The article also elaborated on the fact that people tend to ignore signs that can be associated with a certain type of OCD such as the constant calling and texting of loved ones because the fear that they might get hurt. This article is helpful because there are people with OCD, who ignore their symptoms as a coping mechanism that makes them think that if they ignore them, with time they will get better at dealing with and controlling their compulsions.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Outline

1. Introduction

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a condition that is primarily characterized by fear and paranoia. The person usually affected has obsessions concerning contamination, harm to oneself or other people, sexual thoughts and doubts among others. Due to the above-mentioned fears, the affected individual may wash hands frequently, pray excessively, isolate himself/herself and waste a lot of time in an attempt to repeat and/or confirm things are done “properly”.

0. What OCD is all about, with respect to the experience that research and experts in the field have over years of psychology practice.

0. Examine the causes and effects of OCD

1. Body

1. Biochemical imbalance

0. The main cause of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is not known yet. The condition may result from a biochemical imbalance that disrupts the way the brain processes information. (Paige, 2007) This translates to a sending of false danger-messages by the brain’s nerve cells. OCD may be a response that is learned over time so as to minimize anxiety, or it may be caused by a stressful event in a person’s life.

0. Parents and teachers, if keen, can recognize a child who is troubled with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Most kids usually develop a gradual pattern of performing compulsive rituals (Franklin, 2012). On noticing awkward behavior in their children, parents may be ignorant and not look for treatment until the behavioral traits become significantly disruptive

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

1. Recent research recommends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy because it has been proven to work best. This is regardless of whether medication is used or not. The success of treatment and the effectiveness of strategies are dependent on the age of the patient/student and the severity of the said patient’s behavior. In America, the most commonly used treatments include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and medication (Thomsen, 2013).

1. Medicine helps in the suppression of anxiety and symptoms so that the affected individual learns to ignore all obsessive thoughts. This translates to a cessation in the performance of compulsive rituals (Paige, 2007)

1. Once coping strategies are introduced by a psychologist, they can be followed up by guardians and parents. The purpose of medication and treatment makes patients understand that they are not mad, and they are not the first to experience compulsions.

1. Effects of OCD

2. There are a myriad of effects that result from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The common ones being a repetitive waste of time, compulsions to pray, isolation, fear of contact (shaking hands) among others.

2. Complex performance rituals cause a lot of school attendance problems that are similar to truancy. OCD is related to tic disorders like Tourette’s syndrome, and some adolescents have both.

2. the condition can also aggravate other conditions like Attention Deficit Hypersensitivity Disorder (ADHD), panic disorder and depression

1. Conclusion

2. Conclusively, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a situation that can be controlled by medication and therapy. Therapy and medication help the patient ignore his or her fears and any compulsions to perform rituals.

References

National Institutes of Mental Health. (2006).Anxiety disorders. Retrieved May 31, 2007, from www.nimh.nih.gov/HealthInformation/ocdmenu.cfm

Franklin, M. E., Edson, A. L., & Freeman, J. B. (2012). Obsessive compulsive disorder. In Encyclopedia of Adolescence (pp. 1918-1925). Springer US.

Paige, L. Z. (2007). Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Information for parents and educators. In Canter, A. S., Paige, L. Z., Roth, M. D., Romero, I., & Carroll, S. A. (Eds.), Helping children at home and school II: Handouts for families and educators. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologist

Thomsen, P. H. (2013). Obsessive–compulsive disorders. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 22(1), 23-28. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/Acer/Downloads/American_Academy_of_Child_and_Adolescent_Psychiat%20(1).pdf