Ocpd In As Good As It Gets
As Good As It Gets
Before further investigation, I thought that As Good As It Gets was about a man, Melvin, with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. At first glance, this seemed like the obvious diagnosis; he portrayed both obsessions and compulsions. Melvin was very careful not to touch things that may have been germ ridden, such as door handles, borrowed jackets, and coughing children; he even brought his own dining utensils out to eat with him. He also engaged in some compulsions, such as when he was locking the door (several times in a row) and when putting on his slippers at night. However, it did not seem that the obsessions and compulsions were what the main problem was for Melvin. Throughout the film I noticed that he was rude to and inconsiderate of just about everyone he came in contact with. It was as though he had little affect for other people, something found in many personality disorders. I felt certain that it had to do with his disorder, but this type of behavior was not mentioned in any OCD literature. Then I looked further into Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder. As with any Personality Disorder, OCPD involves an abnormal behavior pattern that can be maladaptive in many social situations. As shown in Melvin's case, this can include impulse control, a decreased ability to show warm emotions, and difficulty in …show more content…
Behavior therapy involves exposure and response prevention. Exposure is the deliberate contact with anxiety provoking stimuli until the anxiety is decreased. Melvin demonstrated this by finally stepping on cracks on the sidewalk, as well as beginning to let other people into his life, even though they didn't necessarily fit into his schema of how things are supposed to be. This can be with the help of a psychologist or, sometimes, through hard work and determination, as Melvin
Before further investigation, I thought that As Good As It Gets was about a man, Melvin, with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. At first glance, this seemed like the obvious diagnosis; he portrayed both obsessions and compulsions. Melvin was very careful not to touch things that may have been germ ridden, such as door handles, borrowed jackets, and coughing children; he even brought his own dining utensils out to eat with him. He also engaged in some compulsions, such as when he was locking the door (several times in a row) and when putting on his slippers at night. However, it did not seem that the obsessions and compulsions were what the main problem was for Melvin. Throughout the film I noticed that he was rude to and inconsiderate of just about everyone he came in contact with. It was as though he had little affect for other people, something found in many personality disorders. I felt certain that it had to do with his disorder, but this type of behavior was not mentioned in any OCD literature. Then I looked further into Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder. As with any Personality Disorder, OCPD involves an abnormal behavior pattern that can be maladaptive in many social situations. As shown in Melvin's case, this can include impulse control, a decreased ability to show warm emotions, and difficulty in …show more content…
Behavior therapy involves exposure and response prevention. Exposure is the deliberate contact with anxiety provoking stimuli until the anxiety is decreased. Melvin demonstrated this by finally stepping on cracks on the sidewalk, as well as beginning to let other people into his life, even though they didn't necessarily fit into his schema of how things are supposed to be. This can be with the help of a psychologist or, sometimes, through hard work and determination, as Melvin