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Case Study Sarah's Obsessions And Compulsions

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1. Obsessive-compulsive behaviors often start in one’s adolescence or young adult stage of life, often times making an appearance by the age of 19.5. Although its most common during this time frame, it is not completely uncommon to begin during one’s childhood and is actually quite possible.

2. It seems that Sarah’s obsessions and compulsions had been around for some time now. Initially, she obsessed about safety and became extremely doubtful when something needed to be locked. It seems that she was more concerned about someone else’s safety (e.g. her roommate) than her own. She also showed excessive anxiety/obsession when it came to paying the bills, once again where she would check the numbers over and over again. Unfortunately, Sarah’s obsessions and compulsions became much worse after graduating college when a group of …show more content…

Dr. Laslow says that by session 7 Sarah’s household obsessions and compulsions were almost completely gone. At this point Sarah was able to keep appliances plugged in and only check locks/appliances a maximum of once. Sarah felt like this was more of a normal routine and no longer felt controlled by her household obsessions and compulsions.

8. As the text mentions, obsessions can take on a variety of different forms. Three examples of these different forms include; impulses: the recurring urge to do something, doubts: skeptical beliefs about something someone has or hasn’t done, and lastly images: the repetitive images of something dangerous, inappropriate, or anxiety provoking in general.

9. Sarah was able to overcome her household/driving obsessions and compulsions around 10-13 sessions. By these sessions she felt that her routines were normal and now ‘second nature’ to her, where nothing was out of the ordinary. Ultimately, by session 13 she suggested that treatment in these areas be stopped. She felt overall that she overcame her past household/driving obsessions and compulsions, and chose solely now to focus on her violent

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Sarah experienced severe dandruff and other scalp ailments. She developed baldness due to these skin disorders and the application of harsh products like lye that were included in soaps used to cleanse the hair.[6][7] Because most Americans lacked indoor plumbing, central heating and electricity, they bathed and washed their hair infrequently. Initially she learned about hair care from her brothers, who owned a barber shop in St. Louis.[6] A container of Madame C.J. Walker's Wonderful Hair Grower is held in the permanent collection of The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

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Many times Eric would visit Sarah in the hospital hoping that she will tell him why. Though, Sarah will not speak to Eric. “Sarah Byrnes sits across for me in what has become our nightly standoff. It occurs to me that if she actually is understanding every word I say and choosing not to respond, it pisses me off. Today I’m going to try to find out” (106).

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