{"id":4923,"date":"2024-04-22T14:39:19","date_gmt":"2024-04-22T18:39:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/soc.hamiltonlits.org\/sharingsociology\/?p=4923"},"modified":"2024-05-01T13:04:35","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T17:04:35","slug":"ocd-a-coping-mechanism-in-the-face-of-uncertainty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/soc.hamiltonlits.org\/sharingsociology\/fall-2022\/ocd-a-coping-mechanism-in-the-face-of-uncertainty\/","title":{"rendered":"OCD, a coping mechanism in the face of uncertainty"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Until recently, OCD was commonly recognized as a rare mental illness, and medical professionals defined it as such (Summerfeldt 2004). OCD is short for obsessive-compulsive disorder, a condition in which people experience recurring, intrusive, and uncontrolled thoughts (NIH). However, recent studies instead suggest that OCD results from the inability to cope with uncertainty, as seen from the surge of cases from the COVID-19 pandemic (Van et al. 2022). Going forward, psychiatrists should take more care in diagnosing OCD as a \u201cmental illness\u201d because that label may reify the sense of disease and lead to stigma.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><kbd><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"624\" height=\"468\" src=\"https:\/\/lh7-us.googleusercontent.com\/4XhMkjFqn0-V584COrCFIr2hsKMVAAwfL65iqZD1-OXA5hdyBpERDcWNv-q4hPkcLHo3m5KJBaUFDUqCQ19H5yqY7pAQMeuJd-9bWaVWsbJ3i-1buY57FjXO-vdD7Cak8dKb9kK6qZvDqWHdtFhbxag\"><\/kbd><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">OCD symptoms increased over COVID-19 due to an increase in uncertainty<strong> (<\/strong>Van et al. 2022). COVID-19 has revealed that for some people, OCD is more of a coping mechanism and situational response than a mental illness (Costa et al. 2021). For instance, a 52-year-old woman, who was recently divorced, started to experience OCD symptoms in 2020 as a result of excessive fears of contamination (Costa et al. 2021). She experienced distress in and outside of her home, and felt uncomfortable with things feeling dirty. The woman engaged in compulsive hand washing and cleaning of surfaces in her house, resulting in an OCD diagnosis. (Costa et al. 2021).&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>OCD as a \u201cMental Disorder\u201d.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When people struggle with OCD, their unwanted obsessive thoughts lead to repetitive, or compulsive, behaviors (Summerfeldt 2004). Common compulsions include excessively cleaning one\u2019s hands, ordering or rearranging things until they are perfectly aligned, counting, or repeating words silently or under one\u2019s breath (Summerfeldt 2004).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the Medical Model that has often been used to diagnose mental illness, OCD is always viewed as a \u201c\u2018thing\u2019 that an individual has\u201d and is unable to escape (Cartwright 2024). For instance, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders had long thought of OCD as a rare mental illness, and specified OCD as an \u201canxiety disorder\u201d (Substance Abuse 2016). The National Institute of Health also has suggested that OCD is a mental illness, similar to anxiety and depression (NIH 2007).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sociologist and Philosopher Pierre- Henri Castel argues that \u201cpsychiatry\u2019s approach to OCD\u201d is \u201cpresently at an inflection point\u201d because these definitions are \u201cconceptually flawed.\u201d (Wakefield 2014). As a result of this flawed labeling, psychiatrists today are beginning to perceive OCD as a dynamic disorder that is constantly evolving rather than an actual \u201cmental illness\u201d (Loughman and Haslam 2018). Sociologists Baptiste Brossard and Amy Chandler emphasize that \u201cpsychiatrist power has changed,\u201d specifically for conditions such as OCD (Brossard and Chandler 2022:2). Psychiatrist work is reconsidering how they explain mental health as they are learning to \u201cexpress caution\u201d when it comes to labeling (Brossard and Chandler 2022:2). OCD is now being understood as something that changes depending on the context and the individual&#8217;s experience (Cartwright 2024).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-plain is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Psychiatrist work is reconsidering how they explain mental health as they are learning to \u201cexpress caution\u201d when it comes to labeling (Brossard and Chandler 2022:2).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>OCD is a Response to Uncertainty.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As seen with COVID-19, people with OCD have an intolerance with uncertainty, and as identified by a number of psychiatrists, people with OCD attempt to ease their distress by turning to compulsions (Tolin et al. 2003). Compulsions, also known as \u201cchecking\u201d behaviors, are a response to distress because they can provide individuals with reassurance (Costa et al. 2021). Tolin describes that people with checking compulsions find uncertainty highly distressing and \u201cengage in compulsive rituals to restore certainty\u201d (Tolin et al. 2003). Compulsions work hand in hand with a prominent feature of OCD, pathological doubt. Individuals with pathological doubt are constantly \u201cdisbelieving their senses\u201d and thus \u201cneeding continuous reaffirmation,\u201d says sociologist Judith Rappaport (Rappaport 1991).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Reducing Stigma.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Psychiatrists indicate that there is significant stigma around OCD compulsions, which affects the well-being of people with OCD (Ociskova et al. 2013). Since many OCD compulsions include muttering or repeated movements, individuals that perform compulsions are quickly judged. Ociskova and colleagues (2013) depict that \u201cwhen society notices that a certain person \u2018behaves strangely\u2019 or \u2018act madly\u2019, the labeling process begins and may lead to a permanent stigmatization\u201d. Moreover, when individuals are labeled to have OCD as a \u201cmental illness,\u201d it can lead to social isolation (Ociskova et al. 2013).\u00a0 The negative perceptions of people with OCD can also heighten OCD behaviors as it can lead to more uncertainty with oneself. The stigma surrounding OCD was found to discourage people with OCD from getting help from a professional (Ociskova et al. 2013).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For some, OCD may be more of a reaction to uncertainty in ones life rather than a debilitating mental illness. By treating OCD as a response to uncertain conditions rather than a mental illness, hopefully those engaging in compulsive behaviors will feel less stigma, and have a greater openness to seek help. With less stigma, people will seek the help they need and feel more comfortable in public with their compulsions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>References<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anon. n.d.-a. \u201cObsessive-Compulsive Disorder.\u201d <em>National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)<\/em>. Retrieved March 11, 2024 (https:\/\/www.nimh.nih.gov\/health\/topics\/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anon. n.d.-b. \u201cWhat Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?\u201d <em>American Psychiatric Association<\/em>. Retrieved March 11, 2024 (https:\/\/www.psychiatry.org\/patients-families\/obsessive-compulsive-disorder\/what-is-obsessive-compulsive-disorder).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brossard, Baptiste, and Amy Chandler. 2022. <em>Explaining Mental Illness: Sociological Perspectives<\/em>. Bristol, England: Bristol University Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Costa, Ana, Sabrina Jesus, Lu\u00eds Sim\u00f5es, M\u00f3nica Almeida, and Jo\u00e3o Alcafache. 2021. \u201cA Case of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Triggered by the Pandemic.\u201d <em>Psych<\/em> 3(4):890\u201396. doi: 10.3390\/psych3040055.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lochner, Christine, Sian M. J. Hemmings, Craig J. Kinnear, Johanna C. Moolman-Smook, Valerie A. Corfield, James A. Knowles, Dana J. H. Niehaus, and Dan J. Stein. 2004. \u201cGender in Obsessive\u2013Compulsive Disorder: Clinical and Genetic Findings.\u201d <em>European Neuropsychopharmacology: The Journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology<\/em> 14(2):105\u201313. doi: 10.1016\/s0924-977x(03)00063-4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Loughman, Amy, and Nick Haslam. 2018. \u201cNeuroscientific Explanations and the Stigma of Mental Disorder: A Meta-Analytic Study.\u201d <em>Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications<\/em> 3(1). doi: 10.1186\/s41235-018-0136-1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">National Institutes of Health (US), and Biological Sciences Curriculum Study. 2007. <em>Information about Mental Illness and the Brain<\/em>. National Institutes of Health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ociskova, Marie, Jan Prasko, Monika Cerna, Daniela Jelenova, Dana Kamaradova, Klara Latalova, Zuzana Sedlackova. 2013. <em>Researchgate.net<\/em>. Retrieved March 11, 2024 (https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/profile\/Marie-Ociskova\/publication\/286204188_Obsessive_compulsive_disorder_and_stigmatization\/links\/5857d7cf08aeffd7c4fb9224\/Obsessive-compulsive-disorder-and-stigmatization.pdf).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rapoport, Judith L. 1991. <em>The Boy Who Couldn\u2019t Stop Washing: The Experience and Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder<\/em>. New York, NY: Penguin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Substance Abuse. 2016. <em>Table 3.13, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Comparison<\/em>. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Summerfeldt, Laura J. 2004. \u201cUnderstanding and Treating Incompleteness in Obsessive\u2010compulsive Disorder.\u201d <em>Journal of Clinical Psychology<\/em> 60(11):1155\u201368. doi: 10.1002\/jclp.20080.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tolin, David F., Jonathan S. Abramowitz, Bartholomew D. Brigidi, and Edna B. Foa. 2003. \u201cIntolerance of Uncertainty in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.\u201d <em>Journal of Anxiety Disorders<\/em> 17(2):233\u201342. doi: 10.1016\/s0887-6185(02)00182-2.Van Ameringen, M., B. Patterson, J. Turna, G. Lethbridge, C. Goldman Bergmann, N. Lamberti, M. Rahat, B. Sideris, A. P. Francisco, N. Fineberg, S. Pallanti, G. Grassi, M. Vismara, U. Albert, R. Gedanke Shavitt, E. Hollander, J. Feusner, C. I. Rodriguez, P. Morgado, and B. Dell\u2019Osso. 2022. \u201cObsessive-Compulsive Disorder during the COVID-19 Pandemic.\u201d <em>Journal of Psychiatric Research<\/em> 149:114\u201323. doi: 10.1016\/j.jpsychires.2022.02.001.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wakefield, Jerome C. 2014. \u201cSocial Construction, Biological Design, and Mental Disorder.\u201d <em>Philosophy, Psychiatry, &amp; Psychology: PPP<\/em> 21(4):349\u201355. doi: 10.1353\/ppp.2014.0056.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Until recently, OCD was commonly recognized as a rare mental illness, and medical professionals defined it as such (Summerfeldt 2004). OCD is short for obsessive-compulsive disorder, a condition in which people experience recurring, intrusive, and uncontrolled thoughts (NIH). However, recent studies instead suggest that OCD results from the inability to cope with uncertainty, as seen [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":239,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[184],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fall-2022"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>OCD, a coping mechanism in the face of uncertainty - Sharing Sociology<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/soc.hamiltonlits.org\/sharingsociology\/fall-2022\/ocd-a-coping-mechanism-in-the-face-of-uncertainty\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"OCD, a coping mechanism in the face of uncertainty - Sharing Sociology\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Until recently, OCD was commonly recognized as a rare mental illness, and medical professionals defined it as such (Summerfeldt 2004). 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OCD is short for obsessive-compulsive disorder, a condition in which people experience recurring, intrusive, and uncontrolled thoughts (NIH). 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