April 2011
17 posts
Research Proposal
CHOSEN TOPIC:
OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
Few people are aware of what OCD is, including some of those who suffer from it - and if the world knew more about the disease, the standard of the OCD sufferers’ lives would probably improve.
ISSUE PROBLEM:
How to improve the standard of life of the OCD sufferer?
HYPOTHESIS:
Therapy is the only form of treatment...
What’s OCD?
The Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, better known as OCD is a mental state related to anxiety, and characterized by recurrent obsessions and compulsions that make sufferers feel obligated to perform rituals and activities that may seem completely irrational to people around them and sometimes, also to themselves.
But, if they understand that there’s no point in doing something, why would they do it...
The complications caused by OCD
OCD is not itself characterized by being fatal, but its development can cause mental complications which lead to more intense obsessions and compulsions, that might end up in death.
For example, since the disorder makes the sufferers isolate themselves (they can spend up to ten hours per day, in the most severe cases, exerting the compulsions) and feel ashamed of who they are, it causes low...
How is OCD diagnosed?
To be diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder you will need to participate in a self-test, answering questions individually. If you are in suspect of suffering from the disorder, the doctor will look for symptoms that include obsessions and compulsions. Once these kind of symptoms are confirmed, he will probably ask for some exams that may include physical (they will examine your heart rate,...
Causes of OCD
The precise cause of OCD (etymology) is still unknown, so we don’t know whether we can or cannot prevent it (and if we can prevent it, how we can do it); however, scientists and researchers have been capable of expanding the field of information about the disorder, which is registered in literature since the 19th century. Science still seeks the cause of the emergence of OCD symptoms in the...
OCD Treatment
OCD is a chronicle disease, which means that there is no cure to it. Until recently, there were few ways to treat OCD, and these treatments weren’t very effective. Due to new research in the area, scientists have been able to find ways to treat the disorder, and, thanks to it, 70% of OCD sufferers have been able to reduce their OCD symptoms and have a better quality of life.
The sooner you start...
Obsessions and Compulsions
The Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is characterized by obsessions and compulsions, which vary from person to person.
Obsessions are unwanted ideas, thoughts, images or impulses that come to one’s mind, and they can’t control them. They are recurrent and cause intense pain, anxiety or distress. OCD obsessions can be separated from the common daily obsessions by frequency, intensity and discomfort....
Myths about OCD
OCD is also caused by troubled childhood.
MYTH
Genetics or traumas are some of the many factors that can influence in the appearance of the disorder but having problems during the childhood usually doesn’t cause OCD.
OCD can be diagnosed by brain scanning.
MYTH
Brain scans or even any types of scan are not able to diagnose the disorder (only the PET scan can show the difference between...
WatchOCD in Dogs.
How to live with a person who has OCD
Living with person who has OCD may be very difficult sometimes because family and friends who live with the sufferer also feel its affects. However, they must be very respectful and considerate of the sufferer and might need to understand a little bit more about the disorder. Meanwhile, there are some hints to ease the stress of living with this behavior.
Be supportive
Common misconceptions are...
The influence of obsessive compulsive disorder in...
The symptoms of the disorder can be mild so mild that a person might not notice the disorder until it interferes in his/her life. It will eventually disturb the person up to a point that he/she start spending hours of their day on rituals and obsessive behavior.
It may also interfere in their personal lives, making it difficult for the sufferer to relate naturally with other people, be it on a...
Common Questions about OCD
At what age can a person begin to show symptoms of OCD?
OCD can start at any time from preschool to adulthood. Although many children might have mild compulsions, they usually go away when kids grow up. OCD (moderate or severe) usually begins in the teens or early twenties. The problem is that sufferers usually don’t seek help and are often diagnosed many years later and until they have...
Interview with the father of an 8-year-old OCD...
How did you find out that your daughter had OCD?
“She began to exhibit strange behavior with several repetitive gestures, as if they were part of a routine.”
When did you start noticing the symptoms? What are them?
“We’ve noticed 3 years ago. Some examples are: the same routine when brushing her teeth and pulling her socks up all the time.”
When did you decide to ask for help?
“When...
People Who Had OCD and Made the Difference
Can you believe that these very famous and successful people had OCD?
Charles Darwin (there is no real prove that Charles Darwin had OCD, but he had some signs of the disorder and he got incapacitated at the age 28, no one knows if it was or not because of the disorder);
Ludwig Van Beethoven (his obsessions were in his songs, the 33 variations that he made of his composition “Anton...
OCD in Hollywood
There are a lot of movies and series that show OCD. But there are also a lot of famous and legendary people who suffer from the disorder!
Some of them are:
Jessica Alba
- American actress
Dark Angel Honey;
Sin City;
Fantastic Four and others.
- Symptoms:
Perfectionism and control.
Cameron Diaz
- American actress
There’s Something About Mary;
My Best...
OCD in Movie and Series
Glee – Emma works at the school and she has a crush on Will Shuester, the Spanish teacher and instructor of Glee Club. Her main symptom is that she needs everything to be cleaned all the time. Her OCD was supposedly caused by a trauma from her childhood.
Glee: Season 2, Episode 18 - Born This Way
Glee is one of the most popular shows nowadays, especially among teenagers. Emma Pillsbury is a...
Sources
Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (TCC): HASBANI, Dafne. Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso – Transtorno Obsessivo-Compulsivo (TOC). São Paulo, 2007.
http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A9rebro_humano – 9/25/2010
http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transtorno_obsessivo-compulsivo - 9/25/2010
http://jcientifico.wordpress.com/ - 9/25/2010
http://www.ufrgs.br/toc/pac5.htm -...
