Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Religion - 2133 Words

Obsessive Disorder and Religion Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) affects up to 2.1% of adults and features pervasive and intrusive thoughts that lead to repetitive uncontrollable behaviors aimed to reduce anxiety (APA, 2000). Further, these thoughts and behaviors impede and disrupt daily living and cause marked distress in the lives of the sufferer. The recurrent thoughts often center on fear of contamination, harming self or others, and illness (Himle, Chatters, Taylor, and Nguyen, 2011). Those who experience the compulsive behaviors associated with OCD report feeling as though they cannot stop or control the urge to perform the compulsive behavior and that the urge is alien or from outside conscious control. Behaviors often involve†¦show more content†¦The behaviors that once brought relief now cause distress. Although OCD is recognizable even by non-clinically trained individuals, the presence of religious beliefs influences people’s judgment of others with OCD symptoms. Yossifova and Loewenthal (1999) used case vignettes to investigate how people perceived OCD in religious and non-religious people. The case vignettes portrayed a non-religious individual and a religious individual exhibiting OCD symptomatology. The researchers found participants judged those seen as religious more often as having OCD than they judged those who were non- religious to have OCD. In other words, those who are religious are more likely to be perceived as having OCD than those who are not religious. Interestingly however, those who have ROCD tend to view their condition as having religious roots rather than related to psychiatric issues, which is consistent with the lack of insight commonly associated with ROCD (Siev, Baer Minichello, 2011). Just as the presence of religious beliefs influence others’ judgment of OCD, culture and religious affiliation also influence the identification and expression of ROCD. Abramowitz et al.(2004) contend the presentation of ROCD symptoms are expressed according to religious affiliation and culture of origin. For example, those who follow the practices of Hinduism usually present with obsessions and compulsions related toShow MoreRelatedCauses and Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder1211 Words   |  5 Pagesprogressed, light has been shed on the causes and symptoms of mental disorders. Like many mental disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder was once linked to dissociation with religious beliefs. In the seventeenth century OCD was seen as a symptom of being isolated from religion and religious practices. It wasn’t until the nineteenth century that obsessive-compulsive disorder began to be recognized as a mental disorder unrelated to religion. The route to this recognition began as stated by Koran (2007)Read MoreEssay about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder1388 Words   |  6 Pagescalled Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD. In the past, t his man with OCD would have been considered extremely strange, but it is now known that OCD is somewhat common in today’s world. The conditions of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder can be very uncomfortable and unsettling, but there are some ways to treat OCD. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder that causes a sufferer to have very uncomfortable obsessions and compulsions. The main anxiety of a sufferer of OCD is obsessive thoughtsRead MoreObsessive Compulsive Disorder ( Ocd )1412 Words   |  6 PagesObsessive Compulsive Disorder other known as OCD is an anxiety disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations and obsessions, or behaviors that make them feel driven to do something compulsive. Obsessions are repetitive, unproductive thoughts that almost all of us have experienced from time to time in our everyday life. It is a very serious disorder that not many people take into consideration and there is so many outcomes to the disorder that affect theRead MoreCase Study: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – the Case of Bess1522 Words   |  7 PagesCase Study: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – The Case of Bess Your Name PSY/410 Date Professor Obsessive Compulsive Disorders: The Case of Bess Obsessive compulsive disorder commonly (OCD) can be defined as an anxiety disorder differentiated by acts of compulsiveness or continual thoughts of obsession. Persistent thoughts, images, and desires are characteristics of obsessions. 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They can range from anything being Obsessive Compulsive Disorder to Schizophrenia. To fully comprehend the application of clinical psychology in the real-world environment one must fully understand the realm of psychology and all that goes with it. Here IRead MoreWhy Are Religious Individuals More Obsessional?1373 Words   |  6 PagesThe article, Why Are Religious Individuals More Obsessional? The Role of Mental Control Beliefs and Guilt in Muslims and Christians, presents the data results from a study comparing Canadian Christian and Turkish Muslim students’ measures of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and beliefs, guilt, religiosity, and negative affect. It is a unique study, as there have been few studies directly exploring this topic and even fewer using a non-Western Muslim sample. Thesis Cognitive-behavioral theory recognizesRead MoreObsessive Compulsive Disorder ( Ocd )1679 Words   |  7 Pagescommon and not abnormal. Many people believe they have obsessive-compulsive disorder because of symptoms they may share with the disorder. But more and more often, this disorder is being overused and misdiagnosed unnecessarily. The turning point that changes from normal to abnormal is when these thoughts cause distress and disruption in that person’s life for a substantial period of time. Obsessive- compulsive disorder is a very common disorder that manifests in many different ways and it can be veryRead MoreObsessive Compulsive Disorder ( Ocd )974 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferent mental disorders that a person may suffer from. Each of these disorders have different attributes and characteristics which makes them unique and requires different treatments too. one of these mental disorders that quite a number of people suffer from – whether they are conscious abou t it or not – is obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). But what is OCD? How does it affect our daily lives? What is OCD? obsessive compulsive disorder, often referred to as OCD, is a mental health disorder that mayRead MoreObsessive Compulsive Disorder2070 Words   |  9 Pages1 I have always been fascinated with behavioral disorders, especially OCD. I learned about OCD a few years ago when I was reading a medical journal. At first, it seemed like something very odd. The idea that otherwise normal people can do such strange things, and not be able to control themselves was fascinating. I wanted to know more about this topic, which is why I chose to write my paper on it. I thought that by knowing more about the subject, I will be able to better understand how these