OBSESSIVE
Compulsive &
RELATED DISORDERS
,Richard, a 19-year-old college freshman majoring in
philosophy, withdrew from school because of
incapacitating ritualistic behavior. He abandoned
personal hygiene because the compulsive rituals that
he had to carry out during washing or cleaning were
so time consuming that he could do nothing lse.
Almost continual showering gave way to no
showering. He stopped cutting and washing his hair
and beard, brushing his teeth, and changing his
clothes. He left his room infrequently and, to avoid
rituals associated with the toilet, defecated on paper
towels, urinated in paper cups, and stored the waste
in the closet.
,He ate only late at night when his family was asleep.
To be able to eat he had to exhale completely, making
a lot of hissing noises, coughs, and hacks, and then fi
ll his mouth with as much food as he could while no
air was in his lungs. He would eat only a mixture of
peanut butter, sugar, cocoa, milk, and mayonnaise.
All other foods he considered contaminants. When he
walked he took small steps on his toes while
continually looking back, checking and rechecking.
Occasionally, he ran quickly in place. He withdrew his
left arm completely from his shirt sleeve as if he were
crippled and his shirt was a sling.
, WORRY OR OBSESSION?
Constant thoughts about losing
work. She can’t help but think about
her boss that would fire her. She
cannot help thinking about arriving
at the office and being called to get
fired.
Compulsive &
RELATED DISORDERS
,Richard, a 19-year-old college freshman majoring in
philosophy, withdrew from school because of
incapacitating ritualistic behavior. He abandoned
personal hygiene because the compulsive rituals that
he had to carry out during washing or cleaning were
so time consuming that he could do nothing lse.
Almost continual showering gave way to no
showering. He stopped cutting and washing his hair
and beard, brushing his teeth, and changing his
clothes. He left his room infrequently and, to avoid
rituals associated with the toilet, defecated on paper
towels, urinated in paper cups, and stored the waste
in the closet.
,He ate only late at night when his family was asleep.
To be able to eat he had to exhale completely, making
a lot of hissing noises, coughs, and hacks, and then fi
ll his mouth with as much food as he could while no
air was in his lungs. He would eat only a mixture of
peanut butter, sugar, cocoa, milk, and mayonnaise.
All other foods he considered contaminants. When he
walked he took small steps on his toes while
continually looking back, checking and rechecking.
Occasionally, he ran quickly in place. He withdrew his
left arm completely from his shirt sleeve as if he were
crippled and his shirt was a sling.
, WORRY OR OBSESSION?
Constant thoughts about losing
work. She can’t help but think about
her boss that would fire her. She
cannot help thinking about arriving
at the office and being called to get
fired.
