Obsessions and Compulsions - How Social Workers Help

By William Shryer, LCSW, BCD

Clearly one of the most misunderstood disorders in the field of neuroscience is the diagnosis of “Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.” It occurs from early childhood all the way throughout the life span.

It is actually a spectrum of disorders generally seen when one cannot get a particular thought out of their conscience mind. They may think they are contaminated, that something horrible will befall someone they love. They may think that they may utter something blasphemous. They may feel convinced that there is something about their body that is misshapen or looks ugly. They may look endlessly in mirrors and ask others of they notice the defect. They may avoid going out, certain that others will notice their defect. The public is generally unaware of the suffering that so many go through dealing with their “stuck thinking.”

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder has more symptoms than just about any other diagnosis. From the better known symptoms such as those seen in the movie, “As Good as it Gets” with Jack Nicholson, where hand washing and certain rituals were present, to the lesser known symptoms such as “hoarding”, stuck thoughts, and many believe that even anorexia may be a symptom on this wide and unusual spectrum. Clearly one of the most disturbing for some is the, “distress of perceived ugliness,” known as Body Dysmorphic Disorder or BDD.

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