Posted: March 10th, 2016

A Frictional Character With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

For this assignment, you are to pick a fictional character (from a novel, TV, or movie) who exhibits obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Then, address the following discussion points:

1) Provide evidence that this character might have this specific disorder, based on DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. In doing so, you will need to be very specific in describing the character’s behavior, demeanor, experiences, etc. Keep in mind that I may not be familiar with this particular character, so you’ll need to be complete in your description.
2) What evidence exists to the contrary? In other words, what aspects of this character’s behavior might suggest that s/he does not meet DSM-5 criteria for that particular disorder, and how so?
3) If this person were to get treatment for her/his disorder (in the present time…so some characters may have to do some time travel), what types of therapies would be most effective?
4) Finally, does this character’s presentation (in literature/TV/film) help or hinder the audience’s accurate and empathic understanding of mental illness, specifically an understanding of this particular disorder? Why/why not?