OCD Disease Essays - Psychiatric Diagnosis, Abnormal Psychology

OCD Disease It was 9:30 a.m., and Nancy, a 36-year-old attorney, had arrived late for work again. Nancy knew she needed to catch up on her legal assignments, but a familiar worry nagged at her. No matter how hard she tried, Nancy could not dislodge the thought that she had left a pot burning on the stove. The image of her home engulfed in flames was so vivid she could almost smell the smoke. Nancy tried to shut the thought out of her mind, reassuring herself that she had turned the gas jet off. But even remembering her hand touching the cool stove burner-a precaution she took whenever she left the house-still left her wondering whether she had checked carefully enough. The pot and stove were not all that had been on Nancy's mind that morning. For Nancy, leaving the house entailed a time-consuming routine designed to ensure that no major or minor disaster-such as a fire, burglary, or household flood-would strike while she was away. Like a pilot preparing for take-off, she would spend more than an hour checking and rechecking that all appliances were turned off, all water faucets shut, all windows closed, and the doors to the house securely locked. Except for necessities such as work, Nancy avoided going out because it meant performing this arduous routine. But even these measures were not enough to keep her from worrying. A few weeks earlier, Nancy had hit on the idea of documenting that everything was safe before she left home. Now, sitting at her desk, she pulled a completed checklist from her purse and reviewed it to see if the "stove and oven" item and been marked off. At first, she felt relieved to see that it was. But then a new thought struck: What if this wasn't today's checklist? Panic overtook reason. Nancy dialed the local fire department and asked that truck be sent to investigate a fire at her house. (Goodman, 1994, pp 103, 104) The first modern description of OCD was provided in 1838 by Jean-Etienne Dominique Esquirol, a French psychiatrist. Esquirol called the disorder the folie de doute, or doubting madness, and suspected it was rooted in a physical problem in the brain. During much of the 1900's, psychoanalytic theories dominated the study of OCD. Many psychoanalytic theorists believed OCD originated from conflicts early in a child's development over such issues as toilet training. (Goldman, 1994, p.104) Researchers theorize that an antibody may actually cause OCD. The antibody called D8/17, is produced to fight streptococcus bacterium that causes rheumatic fever. However D8/17 may attack healthy cells in the brain's basal ganglia region, which helps control basic movement sequences, such as walking or eating. (Klobuchar, 1998, p.266) The obsessions or compulsions must cause marked distress, be time consuming (take more than 1 hour per day), or significantly interfere with the individual's normal routine, occupational functioning, or usual social activities or relationships with others. Obsessions or compulsions can displace useful and satisfying behavior and can be highly disruptive to overall functioning. Because obsessive intrusions can be distracting, they frequently result in inefficient performance of cognitive tasks that require concentration, such as reading or computation. In addition, many individuals avoid objects or situations that provoke obsessions or compulsions. Such avoidance can become extensive and can severely restrict general functioning. (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 1994). Symptoms of OCD include repetitive, ritualized behavior, such as counting, hoarding objects, or handwashing; obsessive fear of threats, such as germs; or a fear of committing violent acts. (Klobuchar 266) The American Psychiatric Association classifies OCD as an anxiety disorder. People with OCD suffer from persistent and disturbing thoughts, images, or impulses, called obsessions. They relieve the anxiety caused by their obsessions through compulsions-repeated behaviors that they feel driven to perform. (Goodman, 1994, p.104) The DSM-IV defines obsessions as recurrent thoughts, images, or impulses that are anxiety-provoking and are perceived as intrusive or senseless. (Gragg & Francis, 1996, p.1) The intrusive and inappropriate quality of the obsessions has been referred to as "ego-dystonic." This refers to the individual's sense that the content of the obsession is alien, not within his or her own control, and not the kind of thought that he or she would expect to have. However, the individual is able to recognize that the obsessions are the product of his or her own mind and are not imposed form without (as in thought insertion). (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 1994). Obsessions typically fall within seven major categories. i.e. Contamination obsessions, which typically involve excessive concerns about germs, disease, and cleanliness.

Free Essays on All-in-1 Toothpaste

Strengths 1.Unique Product Our All-in-1 toothpaste will encompass all the qualities of the top toothpastes into 1 tube. Our All-in-1 toothpaste will provide tartar control, whitening, cavity protection, fresh taste, mouthwash, and more. We will market this toothpaste as being the best toothpaste to satisfy all users in a household, our toothpaste is the new â€Å"family toothpaste† or has the qualities to satisfy every user in the house. Weakness 1.New Company Being a new company is a weakness in itself. We do not have a loyal customer base nor do we have any brand recognition. Through creative marketing we hope to create a curious buzz regarding our product. We want consumers to be so interested in our product that they run right out and purchase it. Opportunities 1.Need Everyone needs to use toothpaste in order to clean their teeth. Perception is a huge drive behind the need for clean teeth. Seventy-one percent of Americans said they are less likely to marry someone with bad teeth and 74% believe bad teeth can hurt career success, according to the Mentadent Smart Mouth survey. Also, 33% said whitening is the attribute they look for most when shopping for toothpaste. Threats 1.Competition Globally Colgate commands a market share of 80% or more. Its numbers aren't quite so dominant in the U.S., but Colgate grabbed the lead over Procter & Gamble's Crest after launching Total toothpaste in late 1997. At that time the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's approved Total as the only toothpaste that reduces the gum disease gingivitis. The result, it's now the No. 1 toothpaste recommended by dentists. Thanks to such relentless marketing, Colgate continues to chew up the competition. It accounts for more than one-third of all toothpaste sales in the U.S. while once-dominant Crest holds a 29% market share. Marketing Objectives We will be marketing the All-in-1 toothpaste by promoting the basics ... Free Essays on All-in-1 Toothpaste Free Essays on All-in-1 Toothpaste Strengths 1. Unique Product Our All-in-1 toothpaste will encompass all the qualities of the top toothpastes into 1 tube. Our All-in-1 toothpaste will provide tartar control, whitening, cavity protection, fresh taste, mouthwash, and more. We will market this toothpaste as being the best toothpaste to satisfy all users in a household, our toothpaste is the new â€Å"family toothpaste† or has the qualities to satisfy every user in the house. Weakness 1. New Company Being a new company is a weakness in itself. We do not have a loyal customer base nor do we have any brand recognition. Through creative marketing we hope to create a curious buzz regarding our product. We want consumers to be so interested in our product that they run right out and purchase it. Opportunities 1. Need Everyone needs to use toothpaste in order to clean their teeth. Perception is a huge drive behind the need for clean teeth. Seventy-one percent of Americans said they are less likely to marry someone with bad teeth and 74% believe bad teeth can hurt career success, according to the Mentadent Smart Mouth survey. Also, 33% said whitening is the attribute they look for most when shopping for toothpaste. Threats 1. Competition Globally Colgate commands a market share of 80% or more. Its numbers aren't quite so dominant in the U.S., but Colgate grabbed the lead over Procter & Gamble's Crest after launching Total toothpaste in late 1997. At that time the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's approved Total as the only toothpaste that reduces the gum disease gingivitis. The result, it's now the No. 1 toothpaste recommended by dentists. Thanks to such relentless marketing, Colgate continues to chew up the competition. It accounts for more than one-third of all toothpaste sales in the U.S. while once-dominant Crest holds a 29% market share. Marketing Objectives We will be marketing the All-in-1 toothpaste by promoting the basics ...

A Modest Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

A Modest Proposal - Essay Example Jonathan uses numerous techniques complete his writing. This power of satire portrays to the lack of morality and expedience of how Ireland's dealings are managed. The lack of authority held by the Irish people springs from the extensive amount of power the English Protestants held over the Irish, especially the penal laws imposed upon the Irish Catholics. Jonathan uses this truth to exploit his prominent satire and eventually to suggest the consumption of the babies of deprived Irish mothers. The author uses satire severely in his writing. One of the most apparent uses of satire Jonathan uses is when he talks about the likely English response to his suggestion. He claims, "Maybe I could name a nation, which would be happy to consume our whole country." Here, Jonathan is reflecting the degree to which the English had power over the Irish. The basis of his proposal centers in the notion of consuming the newborns, as food, is no mistake.This idea was selected in order to symbolize the collapse of Ireland through the "consuming" power the English had over the Irish. This made the Irish seem as powerless as infants (Smith 138). At one point, while making his suggestion, Jonathan guarantees the politicians who dislike his approach that the deprived people of Ireland would rather surrender their life than experience the everlasting scene of misfortunes. While Jonathan is giving his suggestions to the ruling class, he ironically represents the hardships as being the sole liability of the poor (Smith 140). Jonathan is talking to the politicians who have denied the Irish Catholics some of their rights, but he argues that the Irish are repressing their landlords by not settling their rent on time. The author contradicted himself at this point. The satire, of course, was the immense economic cruelty imposed on the Irish by the English through agricultural protectionism and other things. Jonathan’s use of satire, in his writing, serves to portray, to the English lea ders, the reality of the circumstances that they are subjecting to the people of Ireland. However, despite Swift's obvious dislike for the English, he, at some instances, also partly blames the Irish for the conditions of the country. Specifically, his depiction on the part of the Irish is what appears to trouble Jonathan the most (Smith 140). While a person might assume that Irish Catholics should have united to deal with English, they instead fell victim to forfeited certain liberties and land seizures. Jonathan asserts that his suggestion will greatly reduce the number of papists, who stay, at home, to deliver the empire to the Pretender. It is obvious that Jonathan does not, in fact, believe that the papists are exploiting the Protestants. However, I feel that he is attacking the Irish Catholics for not trying to take back their nation from them. Jonathan argues that the Irish have gladly handed their nation over to the English, and that makes them the most treacherous enemies t o Ireland (Smith 140). Throughout the writing, Jonathan, when talking about the Irish infants, uses terms as if he were describing farm animals. Phrases and words such as pigs, stock, flesh, cattle and carcass, were all present in

Bicycle Thieves Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bicycle Thieves - Movie Review Example In many ways, the young boy represents a purity and moral fortitude that elders around him have difficulty to master. The young boy accompanies his father through his long, arduous and ultimately futile attempt to locate his stolen bicycle. But throughout these travails, he hardly betrays his immaturity. The poise and understated maturity of young Bruno is pleasing to see. I believe it is upon De Sica’s directorial discretion that Bruno’s character was drawn on those lines. There is one scene in particular where the young boy’s maturity comes to light. It was when his frayed and tired father slaps him on the cheek out of his own inner frustrations. Bruno was hurt and he starts to cry. He moves away from his father and sulks. Yet, when his repentant father comes to him to console and cajole, he does not rebuke him. Instead of playing truant and throwing a tantrum, young Bruno allows his dad to make peace with him. Eventually, his father takes him to a restaurant t o buy him a luxurious cake. In a subtle irony, De Sica showcases how the young can sometimes lead the old and display more maturity. Neo-realist cinema might be passe for modern audiences, but when De Sica gave it full expression in Bicycle Thieves it was fresh and inventive. In fact, poverty as a theme for commercial cinema was thought unviable by many producers. Consequently, De Sica had difficulty garnering funding for his project. The fact of the availability of only a limited funding actually accentuated the neo-realist feel in the film. For example, the lead actors are all amateurs who barely had any acting experience prior to the film. The scenes were all shot on location without using any studio settings. The material reality of poverty was well captured too. After all, it doesn’t require expensive props to execute a film based on the ordeals of poverty. Consistent with the neo-realist style the background music for the film is minimal. The idea is to let the story cr eate its own sense of drama and poignancy without the aid of music. Moreover, an austere production philosophy resonates with the poverty and frugality at display onscreen. (Wakeman, 1988) The film is good material for philosophical inquiry. In my view, the essence of the film is the last scene where the victim decides to become the victimizer. When Antonio Ricci (the protagonist) decides out of desperation that he would steal a bicycle to recompense what had been stolen from him, the title Bicycle Thieves takes on an added dimension. What was till that point in film a reference to the gang of burglars who steal bicycles and resell them in the market, now includes the aggrieved loser himself. This is a powerful political statement on part of De Sica about the nature of poverty and the evaluation of morality in this economic realm. In other words, the film can be seen as an early exploration on the vicious cycle of poverty and crime. There is little doubt that the director’s t ake on these twin blights of society are rather sympathetic. This much is evident from the overall tone and effect of the film. In this sense, the film is a powerful social and political comment – something that is apt for further study from sociological perspectives. (Ratner, 2005) In sum, Bicycle Thieves is an important work in the history of world cinema. Its appeal is universal because its theme is universal and based on humanism. Bicycle Thieves is an intense film that has an underlying engagement with humanist

Reading Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading - Assignment Example The article notes that although, there are some negative impacts that are associated with the use of the internet, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. The author precisely means that the internet makes people smarter. However, he notes that it do not necessarily make individuals smarter at all times (Whitney, 2010). The author makes use of an inductive argument and makes use of facts to convince the audience. These arguments are effective and convincing to the audience. I agree with the arguments expressed in the article since they are based on facts. His research is also based on those expressed by experts in different fields. The author’s major argument is based on the claim that the internet makes people smarter. Her sole purpose is to persuade and the arguments are based on opinions. The sources used in the article are reliable since most experts agree on one thing. The tone of the article is persuasive. There are no biases on the author’s side. Logos appeals are employed to evoke thinking. Not all important angles were covered as no statistics were provided to support the claim. This is also the weakness in the reasoning presented. I agree with the author because the internet has resulted to easy and quick access of all sorts of information. The ideas connected with mine based on the few setbacks that are linked with the internet. The article is titled â€Å"Critical Thinking Crucial in the Information Age† and was written by Massimo Pigliucci. The article stated that critical thinking is not given the significance it deserves in the modern world. This is supported by the arguments made by Socrates on knowledge (Pigliucci. 2011). The article states that knowledge and ignorance are both the major causes of evil. The author states that ignorance is the major cause of evil in the major cause of evil in the modern times. The article expresses that it is difficult for human beings to prove

Concurrent Engineering Vs Traditional Sequential Methods

Concurrent Engineering Vs Traditional Sequential Methods In order to signify the differences between the traditional approach of sequential engineering and the modern concurrent engineering approach, I will simulate the release of an aircraft component onto the market, and explain in detail the process. I will point out differences between the methods as I go along. Traditionally, products were designed and manufactured following the sequential engineering methods, where people from different departments work one after the other on successive phases of development. This method of production is in a linear format. The different steps are done one after another, with all attention and resources focused on that one task. After it is completed it is left alone and everything is concentrated on the next task. The product is first completely defined by the engineering design department, and then the manufacturing department take over and define the manufacturing process, etc. This was a lengthy process, and often led to a lot of design changes as the prototype testing began, due to production problems, delays or design flaws. This is therefore a slow and costly approach, often leading to a low-quality and less competitive product. Concurrent Engineering, sometimes called Simultaneous Engineering or Integrated Product Development (IPD), can be defined as a systematic approach to the integrated, concurrent design of products and their related processes, including manufacture and support. This approach is intended to cause the developers, from the outset, to consider all elements of the product life cycle from conception through disposal, including quality, cost, schedule, and user requirements. This results in the product development team clearly understanding what the product requires in terms of mission performance, environmental conditions during operation, budget, and scheduling. In this method, several teams within an organization work simultaneously to develop new products and services andthis therefore allows a more streamlined approach. Decision making involves full team participation and involvement. The team often consists of product design engineers, manufacturing engineers, marketing personnel, purch asing, finance, and suppliers, and the role of the leader is to supply the basic foundation and support for change, rather than to tell the other team members what to do. In concurrent engineering, different tasks are tackled at the same time, and not necessarily in the usual order. This means that info found out later in the process can be added to earlier parts, improving them, and also saving a lot of time. Examples from companies using Concurrent Engineering techniques show significant increases in overall quality, 30-40% reduction in project times and costs, and 60-80% reductions in design changes after release. BENEFITS ADVANTAGES of concurrent Concurrent engineering provides many benefits over sequential engineering, including lower manufacturing and production costs, improved quality of resulting end products and increased accuracy in predicting and meeting project plans, schedules, timelines, and budgets. Because the multidisciplinary teams working together early in the process can make informed decisions about cost, quality, process and product issues, trade-offs can be made between design features, part manufacturability, assembly requirements, material needs, reliability issues, serviceability requirements, and cost and time constraints. Any differences are usually reconciled early in the design process, leading to increased efficiency and performance, higher reliability in the product development process, reduced defect rate and ultimately a faster time to market which results in increased market share. This also means faster reaction times in responding to the rapidly changing market, which in turn fosters increased customer satisfaction and a higher return on investments due to the reduced labour and resource requirements, improved inventory control and scheduling. Improved communication between individuals and departments within the firm also encourages cohesiveness, and a more pleasant working environment, which in turn can positively affect productivity of the workforce. Concurrent engineering is not a trivial process to apply; therefore companies must be careful in using this approach. To be successful, they should initially compare themselves with their competitors to set a benchmark, and identify potential performance improvements and realistic targets by analysing the market and knowing the customers. It is paramount to have the top managements support, and to develop a clear strategy and implementation plan which must be continually reviewed and revised with progress. Individualism should be suppressed within the team and project leaders must have a clear overall visualization of the project and goals. Cross -functional integration and collaboration needs to be established and encouraged, so as to foster team ethics and freely transfer technology and information between individuals and departments. Some organisations have been known to have problems in the past, which manifest themselves when there is an unwillingness to institutionalize concurr ent engineering, and new reporting lines and reward systems are not set up to agree with the new approach. Problems can also arise if the employees have not had any training in teamwork, or if the schedules set are unrealistic. There needs to be a change in relationships with vendors in order for the concurrent engineering methods to work at their best, alongside a focus on process improvement rather than computerisation. Concurrent engineering is an evolving process that requires continuous improvement and refinement. This continuous improvement cycle consist of planning, implementing, reviewing, and revising. The process must be updated and revised on a regular basis to optimize the effectiveness and benefits in the concurrent engineering development process. Conclusion In todays business world, a quick effective response to changing market needs is paramount if a corporation is to be successful. They must be able to reduce their time to market with an adaptable attitude and decision must be made quickly and correctly the first time around. If the firms waste time repeating tasks, as might happen using sequential methods, they will become less competitive, therefore concurrent engineering has emerged as way of bringing rapid solutions to product design and development process. Concurrent engineering is indisputably the future for new product development for all companies regardless of their size, sophistication, or product portfolio. In order to be competitive, corporations must be able to complete diverse tasks concurrently, even if that means altering their product and process development cycle. Although it will require a major reorganisation and be reviewed and adjusted for continuous improvements of engineering and business operations, this new process will benefit the company in the long-term.

essay :: essays research papers

Halley’sComet   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Comets have amazed, interested, and driven scientists to study them often. Comets like the Hale-Bopp have been seen by millions of people. Since the discovery of comets, scientists, astrologers, or and even your next door neighbor have been interested in discovering or studying comets. Like Halley’s Comet which has had a real impact on the history of comets.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Halley’s comet put on bright shows for the planet Earth ever since 204 BC, maybe even 1059 BC. Its most famous appearance was in 1066 AD, right before the battle of Hastings. It was named after Edmund Halley, who found out its orbit. He predicted that the appearances in 1531 and 1607 were the same comet that made a 76-year orbit. Halley died in 1742, never to see if his prediction should come true, which it did in 1758.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Only three comets were ever studied by a spacecraft. Comet Giacobini-Zinner was studied in 1985, Comet Halley in 1986, and Comet Grigg-Skijellup on July 10th, 1992. Halley’s comet made appearances in 1835and then in 1910. Then after in 1984 and 1985, five spacecrafts from Russia, Japan, and Europe were launched to make rendezvous with the comet in 1985. One of NASA’s deep space satellite was reprogrammed to monitor the solar wind that was from Halley.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The nucleus(entire body) is an ellipsoidal shape and measures about 16 by 8 by 8 kilometers(10 by 5 by 5 miles). Next perihelion is determined to be in 2061 because it orbits every 76 years. The well developed tail structure of Halley’s Comet is made up of both dust and ion. One of the most spectacular showings was the one when a piece of the comet ion tail breaks off. This was seen and photographed in 1986, by a telescope at Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory at NASA. Hall ey’s Comet obviously never came in contact with any other comets or planets. essay :: essays research papers Halley’sComet   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Comets have amazed, interested, and driven scientists to study them often. Comets like the Hale-Bopp have been seen by millions of people. Since the discovery of comets, scientists, astrologers, or and even your next door neighbor have been interested in discovering or studying comets. Like Halley’s Comet which has had a real impact on the history of comets.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Halley’s comet put on bright shows for the planet Earth ever since 204 BC, maybe even 1059 BC. Its most famous appearance was in 1066 AD, right before the battle of Hastings. It was named after Edmund Halley, who found out its orbit. He predicted that the appearances in 1531 and 1607 were the same comet that made a 76-year orbit. Halley died in 1742, never to see if his prediction should come true, which it did in 1758.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Only three comets were ever studied by a spacecraft. Comet Giacobini-Zinner was studied in 1985, Comet Halley in 1986, and Comet Grigg-Skijellup on July 10th, 1992. Halley’s comet made appearances in 1835and then in 1910. Then after in 1984 and 1985, five spacecrafts from Russia, Japan, and Europe were launched to make rendezvous with the comet in 1985. One of NASA’s deep space satellite was reprogrammed to monitor the solar wind that was from Halley.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The nucleus(entire body) is an ellipsoidal shape and measures about 16 by 8 by 8 kilometers(10 by 5 by 5 miles). Next perihelion is determined to be in 2061 because it orbits every 76 years. The well developed tail structure of Halley’s Comet is made up of both dust and ion. One of the most spectacular showings was the one when a piece of the comet ion tail breaks off. This was seen and photographed in 1986, by a telescope at Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory at NASA. Hall ey’s Comet obviously never came in contact with any other comets or planets.