Disorder Paper10/21/99Obsessive-Compulsive DisorderThe Diagnostic and Statistical Manual defines obsessions and compulsions as follows; Obsessions are persistent ideas, thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced as intrusive and inappropriate and that cause marked anxiety or distress. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors (e.g., hand washing, ordering, checking) or mental acts (e.g., praying, counting, repeating words silently) the goal of which is to prevent or reduce anxiety or distress, not to provide pleasure or gratification. Diagnostic Symptoms:There are several generally accepted subdivisions of OC's. Amongst them are Washers, Checkers, Cleaners, Hoarders, Repeaters, Orderers, and Pure Obsessives. Washers are those OC's that generally have a fear of germs, dirt, or contamination from substances like bodily fluids, dirt, dust, bacteria, viruses, excretions, and the like. Washers that are compulsive can spend hours washing themselves, or parts of their body, to the exclusion of all else, trying to rid themselves of "contamination". They may also avoid contact with things to avoid being "contaminated". Cleaners are those OC's that feel that other things are contaminated or dirty, and spend much time cleaning their surroundings. For instance, a cleaner might spend hours dusting their home, and then go back and start again as soon as they have finished, because dust has settled in the meantime.Checkers have a problem remembering or being sure that they have or have not done something, and therefore go back to check whether they have or not. For instance, a woman may get up 10 to 15 times a night to make sure all windows and doors are still locked, although they were every other time.Hoarders collect things...almost anything. They usually cannot even stand to throw away garbage, and often will let it just sit around them. An inability to get rid of things is the significant symptom of this class of OC. Repeaters are OC's t...
