Problem: Using APA citations, provide a response to this discussion board post comment
Obsessive compulsive disorder and hoarding disorder have definitely gained visibility through media portrayals. Television shows like Hoarders and films featuring characters with obvious OCD tendencies have brought these diagnoses into mainstream conversation. While this visibility can increase awareness, it can also oversimplify or dramatize symptoms for entertainment value. In pop culture, OCD is often portrayed as being overly neat, organized, or quirky. However, the DSM-5-TR defines OCD as involving intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) performed to reduce distress, not simply a preference for cleanliness (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). Similarly, hoarding disorder involves persistent difficulty discarding possessions due to perceived need or distress, resulting in significant impairment, which is more complex than what is often shown in reality television. Cultural and trauma implications are also important to consider. For example, individuals who have experienced scarcity, displacement, or loss may develop hoarding behaviors as a response to trauma. Research suggests that trauma exposure can increase vulnerability to OCD symptoms, particularly when intrusive thoughts are tied to themes of safety or responsibility (Cromer et al., 2007). Media portrayals rarely capture these deeper roots. As social workers, it is important to look beyond stereotypes and understand how culture, trauma, and lived experience shape symptom expression. Need Assignment Help?
References:
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.).
Cromer, K. R., Schmidt, N. B., & Murphy, D. L. (2007). Do traumatic events influence the clinical expression of obsessive compulsive disorder? Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 21(6), 779-791.