Summary:
Discussion in this video focused on Ms. Tarter’s experience of OCD. This experience involves a repetitive cycle of overwhelming obsessions that causes great anxiety and elicits her attempts to decrease this anxiety through the use of rituals that are only briefly satisfying in decreasing the anxiety. Ms Tarter explains that there is no cure for OCD and iterates the idea that folks must learn how to cope with the illness through techniques such as controlled breathing, the use of coping statements, tactile strategies and finally, medication.
Program Presenter:
Amanda Tarter was diagnosed with OCD and PTSD after an accident involving her brother. Ms. Tarter has been treated for both OCD and PTSD for the past 5 years. She is currently a student at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville studying special education. In addition to her studies, Ms. Tarter serves as a volunteer with special needs children. Ms. Tarter and her family are currently involved in a research study which is examining genetic links for OCD.
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Summary:
Mr. Bahr, founder of the St. Louis OCD Support group discusses his process of identifying and utilizing a system of support for his son who was diagnosed at an early age with OCD. This process involved educating himself and his family, educating the public, and guiding families and clients to seek information, and treatment resources within their communities.Program Presenter:
Bernie Bahr is the father of a son diagnosed with OCD in 1979, Mr. Bahr, along with his wife began educating themselves on OCD from 1979-1990. In 1990 attended the National OCD meetings, Mr. Bahr and his wife started the St. Louis OCD support group in 1990. They are still very much involved in this effort.
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Summary:
OCD is characterized by the experience of obsessions and compulsions that greatly affect the quality of an individual’s life. Obsessions are thoughts, feelings, and urges that result in great discomfort. Compulsions are the strategies that people use to decrease or neutralize discomfort experienced by the obsessions. In order to meet the criteria for a diagnosis of OCD, a person must spend 1 hour a day in either mental or behavioral ritual or the obsession must cause great distress and/or it must cause significant problems in their life. Furthermore, OCD has an impact of the individual’s family and other systems of support.In this video, Mr. Mitchell describes Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and identifies the criteria for its diagnosis. In addition, Mr. Mitchell describes how OCD is manifested in behavior and identifies treatment options for the disorder. Further discussion centers on how family and other support systems are affected by the person with OCD.
Program Presenter:
Gary Mitchell, MSW, LCSW is a clinical social worker who has expertise in the treatment of children and adults with anxiety disorders and related problems. He is the Assistant Director of the Anxiety Disorders Center of St. Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute, which specializes in the treatment of refractory and complicated cases. Mr. Mitchell has also worked in residential treatment providing Cognitive, Behavioral and Family Therapy for emotionally disturbed children. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the St. Louis University School of Social Services, where he teaches Cognitive-Behavioral Family Therapy.
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