Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) as demonstrated by:

Sheldon Cooper Sheldon Cooper Sheldon Cooper

Psychology Basis

Obsessive-Compulsive DisorderObsessions

Obsessions are irrational thoughts that recur and persist.

People with OCD frequently perform tasks, or compulsions, to seek relief from obsession-related anxiety.

A general sense of disarray or tension is accompanied by a belief that life cannot proceed as normal while the imbalance remains.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Media Example

Sheldon Lee Cooper, B.S., M.S., M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D.

Sheldon is a theoretical physicist at Caltech. He is a former child prodigy with genius level IQ, but has an almost total lack of social skills. Sheldon also shows

symptoms associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Whenever approaching a person's home, he must knock three times, then say the person's name, and must repeat this at least three times

Obsession with numbers: Groups of three.

IRRATIONAL FEAR OF GERMS

• Avoidance• Human physical contact.

• Hugs

• Handshakes

• Hospitals

• Public restrooms

• Potentially contaminated objects

• Clean and Sanitize• Caries baby wipes and rants about his

aversion to warm air hand dryers

• Sprays Lysol when he finds out that Penny may have contracted influenza and was in his house.

• Removes potentially contaminated objects.

Sheldon is sure that Penny’s new chair, of which he refers to as “chair of death”, is contaminated with germs and therefore attempts to persuades her to dispose of it.

FEAR OF CHANGE

• Sheldon adheres to a strict daily routine.

• He refuses to sit anywhere other than his designated spot on the couch.

The smallest deviation can bring on great apprehension.

Connection

NUMBERS OBSESSION

Numbers obsession is a from of Anxiety Disorder that falls under the sub-category of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

People’s irrational thoughts make them believe that if they don’t do things in multiples of three or some other numbers pattern that they or their loved ones can be subject to great peril.

Was the Waltz invented by someone with Numbers

Disorder?123 123 123 123 123

GERM OBSESSION

Those whose obsession involves germs, compulsively avoid human physical contact and areas or objects suspected of contamination. These folks also wash their hands and the areas that they are about to come in contact with.

Sheldon’s irrational

thoughts compel him to fear change andadhere to a

routine.This may not be a valid OCD, but rather OCPD, Obsessive compulsive personality disorder.

FEAR OF CHANGE

CLOSING

Disorders have long been the comical product of sit-coms, however generally defined. A character that is said to have OCD, might display both OCD and OCPD(Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder).

Sheldon’s knock routine and germ aversion are consistent with lecture 10 “Anxiety Disorders” and chapter 19 in the text book.

Sheldon’s aversion to change, however, and needing everything “just so” are signs of OCPD, which has more to do with orderliness, perfectionism, mental and interpersonal control.

These two different disorders as well as others have gained his character popularity just as they have done for characters in other shows such as Monk and United States of Tara.

Cherry, Kendra. "Disorders: When Thinking Emotionality Go Awray." The Everything Psychology Book: An Introductory Guide to the Science of Human Behavior. 2nd ed. Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2010. 230. Print.

"Contamination Fears or Germaphobia." A Psychotherapist in Paris. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.

"Sheldon Cooper." The Big Bang Theory Wiki. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.

"Sheldon Cooper." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Apr. 2014. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.

WORKS CITED