Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

& “SCRUBS”

Psychological Basis

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

• An anxiety disorder in which a person is stuck in a cycle of repetitive, unwanted thoughts and repetitive, ritualized behaviors.

• The repetitive thoughts (obsessions) are often an idea or scenario in which the sufferer is in some kind of danger or inflicts danger upon someone else, which is where the anxiety comes from.

• Sufferers are also unable to control the repetitive rituals (compulsions) they perform. While they may seem excessive (such as washing one's hands fifteen times within an hour) even to the sufferer, they are necessary to reduce anxiety.

What Are the Most Effective Treatments for OCD?

• The most effective treatments for OCD are Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and/or medication. More specifically, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) which has the strongest evidence supporting its use in the treatment of OCD, and/or a class of medications called serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SRIs.• Exposure and Response Prevention is typically done by a licensed

mental health professional (such as a psychologist, social worker, or mental health counselor) in an outpatient setting. • Taken together, ERP and medication are considered the “first-line”

treatments for OCD. About 70% of people will benefit from ERP and/or medication for their OCD.

Media

Season 3 Episodes 12 & 13

• Scrubs is a medical sit com based on the interactions of a core group of characters.•Intern “JD” (Zach Braff)is the primary character and narrator. •“JD” is looking for a mentor

• Michael J Fox is a guest actor on a 2 episode arc playing Dr. Kevin Casey a double board certified “Super Doc”

• Dr. Casey “Super Doc with Severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder”

• Dr. Casey went to Medical school with Dr Perry Cox (played by John C. McGinley) and had to drop out of a class due to the severity of his OCD

Dealing with Obsessions

and Compulsions

• When asked if he could shake someone’s hands “A lifetime of therapy and ah a lot of Zoloft just so I can Appropriately greet you big guy”

• Survived in medicine by embracing his OCD studying, readying and practicing procedure repetitively

• Imagined every possible worse case scenario over and over (and over….)

• Using verbal tricks (saying his name out loud) to break a repetitive cycle

The Connection/Validity

People With OCD Are treated with both Meds and Therapy Valid – Yes

Many people with OCD have enhanced organizational skills and a heightened ability to foresee sequences of events necessary for categorization and planning Valid - YES

The Connection/ Validity

Stress is a major trigger of OCD Symptoms. In addition, as the anxiety caused by stress often causes people to use poor coping strategies stress can often get in the way of treatment. Valid- YES

Stress

Meeting new people and adjusting to new environments exacerbates compulsions for Dr. Casey

My Take • Although this show is a lighthearted comedy Michael J Fox did

a superb job of showing both the ability to use aspects of OCD to succeed and the effect that obsessive compulsive disorder has on someone’s ability to function when stress becomes and issue.• The germs / contamination issue with a coaster having to be

continuously on the beer was a misrepresentation of dealing for the severity and complexity of the issue.

References • Scrubs- Season 3, Episodes 12 & 13

• The Everything Psychology Book 2nd addition, Kendra Cherry Pg 230

• https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/treatment/

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrubs_(TV_series)

• https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-ocd-monster/201207/what-doesnt-destroy-me-makes-me-stronger

• https://www.verywell.com/understanding-ocd-and-stress-2510559