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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – Could It Be In Your Genes?

Sometimes, I like to joke around and say that I did not inherit the “clean gene” because housekeeping does not come naturally to me. While keeping a tidy home may be second nature for some people, I actually have to work pretty hard at it. Did you know that for the most part, your housekeeping behaviors are most likely influenced in large part by the home environment that you grew up in and not by genetics? For individuals that suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, however, the concept of the “clean gene” has some truth to it and it is no … Continue reading →

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Difficulties for the Family

While being a sufferer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can be extraordinarily difficult, it can also be extremely frustrating for family members who share the same household as the sufferer. Take the case of Maggie whose mother suffers from OCD. Maggie is in her late fifties and her mother is 87. Although she has long left the family home, the shadow of her mother’s OCD hangs over her like a shroud. Every visit to her mother’s is fraught with frustration and anger. She either tries to keep her temper when her aging mother insists on doing things her way, which involves … Continue reading →

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder: Diagnostic Criteria

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The anecdotal stories of Terry and Shaun, both sufferers of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder have been discussed in previous articles. The links to both are listed at the end of this article. Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) differs from its better known near-namesake Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) which is one of the anxiety disorders. In contrast, OCPD is one of the personality disorders and is included in the same category as other personality disorders such as borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, antisocial personal disorder and several others. OCPD is a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness and perfection at the expense of … Continue reading →

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (2)

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In the previous article on this disorder (see link below) we looked at the story of Terry, an intelligent postgrad student whose career had stalled and marriage was failing due to the presence of obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). As explained in the previous article, OCPD is unrelated to the more well-known obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) which commonly involves behaviors driven by obsessive thoughts, such as repeated hand washing and checking of locks on doors and windows. Today we look at the case of Shaun who possesses many of the characteristics of Terry. His preoccupation with his job and the minute details … Continue reading →

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (1)

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This personality disorder is not related to the similarly-named condition known as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The latter disorder is one of the anxiety disorders while today’s article describes a more pervasive personality disorder. Links to the more commonly-known obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are listed below. Terry is a typical sufferer of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD). A gifted scholar, Terry has been doing post-graduate study at the same university at which he graduated over nine years ago. He has a set routine every morning, rising at the same time and completing a series of morning tasks such as reading the newspaper, taking a … Continue reading →

Living with a Person with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Sharing a household with a person suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is not easy. It is not uncommon for family members to believe that the sufferer is just “picky” and stubborn and therefore unnecessary arguments and stress results, not only for the co-habiter but for the sufferer as well. Fiona’s husband, Steve, had no idea that his wife had OCD. He had never heard of it. Yet when his wife checked the windows every night before going to bed, even when she knew some of them hadn’t even been opened, he complained. When she checked the dials on the oven … Continue reading →

Obsessive – Compulsive Disorder: Diagnostic Criteria

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This article follows on from previous discussions of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Large epidemiological studies of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) rate the prevalence of the condition at roughly 2.6% of the population. Like most anxiety disorders, OCD varies in intensity both from person to person, as well as over time. Hence a single individual may experience a waxing and waning of the condition over a lifetime, with periods of increased stress usually resulting in an increase in obsessive-compulsive activities. The DSM-IV-TR diagnostic guidelines require that a person satisfy all of the following criteria for an accurate diagnosis of this condition: A. Obsessions are … Continue reading →

APA Board Approves Changes to DSM-5

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has officially finalized the changes to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Will these changes affect your child? If so, in what ways? Here’s a brief review of some of the changes that have been made. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Medical Disorders, or DSM, is the book that psychiatrists use to determine a diagnosis of a specific mental disorder. Every so often, it becomes necessary to review the contents of the current DSM, and to determine if anything needs to be revised, updated, or removed. There have been a total … Continue reading →

The Problem with Show Dog Science

I’ve long known certain dogs were specifically bred with others to get desired traits, but I hadn’t realized how far back it had all started. Which is pretty remarkable considering science hasn’t always been as advanced as it is now. A few months back I caught part of an episode called “Science of a Dog” on the National Geographic Channel which addressed the topic in depth. It was about how certain breeds have come to be, why, and where they go from here. Because for some breeds their health-future isn’t too bright. That was a really sad part of the … Continue reading →

Are You a Food Phobic?

Phobias come in many forms and having a phobia about food is no exception. A food phobic is more than a fussy eater, although that would be the tag generally attached to such a person. Food phobia has little to do with more well-known eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia. So what exactly are the characteristics of a food phobic? Marcia Pelchat, a Philadelphia-based food psychologist states that a person with a food phobia dislikes the taste of certain foods to an excessive extent and avoids them wherever possible. This also applies to the texture of certain foods. … Continue reading →