Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Kyle Motto Edu 214 Spring 2014

By PresenterMedia.com

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Learn about the aspects of OCD

Causes Symptoms Treatment

OCD in the classroom

Solutions & Hints for Educators

OCD Defined:
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated houghts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), or behaviors that make them feel driven to do something (compulsions).

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) feel the need to check things repeatedly, or have certain thoughts or perform routines and rituals over and over. The thoughts and rituals associated with OCD cause distress and get in the way of daily life.

OCD
Defined Continued:
The frequent upsetting thoughts are called obsessions. To try to control them, a person will feel an overwhelming urge to repeat certain rituals or behaviors called compulsions. People with OCD can't control these obsessions and compulsions. Sadly, most of the time the rituals end up controlling them.

Causes & Symptoms of OCD

CAUSES

Doctors do not know the exact cause of OCD. Factors that may play a role include head injury, infections, and abnormal function in certain areas of the brain. Genes seems to play a strong role. Most people who develop it show symptoms by age 30.

SYMPTOMS Obsessions or compulsions not caused by medical illness or drug use. Obsessions or compulsions that cause major distress or interfere with everyday life.

There are many types of obsessions and compulsions:

Checking and rechecking actions (such as turning out the lights and locking the door) Excessive counting Excessive fear of germs The compulsion to repeatedly wash the hands to ward off infection The person usually recognizes that the behavior is excessive or unreasonable.

Treatment Practices

OCD is treated using a combination of medication and behavioral therapy.

Medicines used include antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers. Talk therapy (cognitive behavioral therapy; CBT) has been shown to be effective for this disorder. During therapy, the patient is exposed many times to a situation that triggers the obsessive thoughts, and learns to gradually tolerate the anxiety and resist the urge to do the compulsion. Therapy can also be used to reduce stress and anxiety and resolve inner conflicts.

OCD in the Classroom

While frustrating to educators, OCD may be torture for the students who have it. In order to help a student who has OCD, educators must understand that OCD is frequently responsible for the students difficulties. School personnel should attempt to learn how to recognize behavior at school that may be caused by OCD.

OCD in the Classroom Continued

Students with OCD typically have average to above average intelligence levels They may be unable to learn the same way a typical child or adolescent does.

The focus is frequently on their obsessions or compulsions instead of the task at hand (in school or at home). A tremendous amount of their energy and focus is sapped by OCD messages bombarding their minds and by the need to perform compulsions. When the teacher is talking, the student with OCD may barely hear what is being said because of fears and doubts running through his or her mind.

Classroom Support Strategies

Learn about OCD Bring awareness to the classroom

Try to recognize tough spots for the student and respond appropriately Be positive and reward even small successes Create ways to reduce stress for the student A buddy system Seating accommodations Create different expectations

Managing the Student and the Situation

Focus on self-esteem issues Create a safe environment Watch for side effects of medication

Tremors, difficulty speaking, slurring of speech Extreme restlessness or motor activity Extreme jumpiness Slowed thought processes Rigid muscles or uncontrollable spasms; any seizures Excessive sleepiness Extreme stomach upset Contortions of muscles or the face Unusual or extreme eye movements

Classroom Solutions
Hints for Educators

Allow the student to be first to get any handouts; he or she can hand the stack to another student, thus avoiding papers that were touched by others. Allow the student to leave class a few minutes before passing time to avoid crowded hallways. Allow the student to use hand sanitizer in lieu of going to the bathroom constantly to wash. Seat the student closer to the teacher to redirect the student's attention, as appropriate. Provide the student with notes or an outline of what is covered in class. Grade a student's work on content rather than neatness. Divide reading assignments into shorter segments and allow breaks in between. Provide the student direct instruction in organizational skills. Establish limits on how much time should be spent on any part of a project. Communicate with parents to enlist their help in limiting the time spent. Provide student partial notes that contain the main ideas of the lecture; leave space for student to write additional notes.

Classroom Solutions Continued

Hints for Educators

Suggest that the student study with a partner or in groups. Work with parents to provide the student with two sets of materials and books -- one for school and one for home -- to alleviate stress over whether the student has the right materials to work with in each location. Make duplicate assignment sheets -- one to keep at school and one to take home. Encourage the student to skip around on the test and answer the easiest questions first. Place the student in a different (quiet) location to take the test if distraction is a problem. Audio books and electronic publications. Currently, there is no scientific evidence related specifically to the use of assistive technology with students who have OCD. Because these students frequently experience difficulty in the areas of reading, writing, and organization. As is the case with any accommodation or support strategy for students with OCD, one type of assistive technology may be extremely effective for one student but ineffective with another.

References
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/

http://www.ocdeducationstation.org/
http://www.ocdeducationstation.org/