Literature Review On Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Index
1. Introduction p. 3
2. Methodology p. 3
3. Literature Review p. 4
4. Discussion …
5. Conclusion …
6. Reference list … Introduction In this essay, I will reflect on my own mental health, its vulnerabilities, and resilience by carrying out a literature review and relating the findings to my own experiences. Specifically, I will focus on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This disorder is characterized by the presence of obsessions, compulsions or both. Obsessions refer to the “recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are experienced as intrusive and unwanted,” while compulsions refer to irresistible behavior following these thoughts, to which the patient feels the need to perform (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 235). These compulsions are carried out “in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 235). OCD covers many disorders within the description, but I will focus on the following factors: lack of symmetry, excoriation (skin-picking), and enhanced avoidance habits. The latter occurs when the patient is aware of his/her behavior, acknowledge that this behavior is unrealistic and excessive, and that the “action services no real purpose” (Gillan et al., 2014, p. 631).
Methodology
To obtain a theoretical justification of the sources, Google Scholar was used as a search engine, although sometimes the