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• 9/29/2009 4:05 PM Dave Dullum wrote:
  I would respond by saying "are you cured"? Are you where you want to be? What other areas in your life have been effected by this love?
  Maybe I am simplifing it but just because you have fallen in love does not mean that you are "cured" from your OCD.
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• 9/29/2009 7:05 PM Angelica wrote:
  In the story of Berta Bard,I would make the diagnosis of OCD,Obsesive Complusive Disorder. This diagnosis is supported by the following: Berta ensures that the front door of her apartment is closed properly. She continous to lock it and unlock it in repetivitive fashion.The underlying fear that she relays to Edwin, is that something bad might happen to her children such as a kidnapping. She also has a fear of germs as she cleans her hand with a hand sanitizer a few times.This is also the underlying fear of the Swine flu pandemic, which is true, but unfortuntality it is feeding her fear of germs. This then makes her become more concern and becoming OCD. But Berta is aware of her illness as she leaves 4 hours ahead of her appointment time to see the dr. in order to get their in time. Berta is aware of her illness and seems to try to make adjustment to her life in order to incorporate her illness.
  
  In the song you wrote excellant,what seems to stand out for me is that the ocd illness in reality brings death to the individual and his lifestyle. The illness creates such a barrier to live a normal life(what ever normal is) such as enjoying a simple walk,or the joy of cooking for love ones. Because it becomes such a chore of cleaning ones hands over and over or looking down were one is walking.
  
  For my new patient Melvin,on our first session this is what he said to me"
  "Look, I don't need to see you. I've been getting medication for what seems like forever. It didn't work. I've quit the medication altogether, and now I want to drop this because love has done for me what neither the other doctor could do and what you could never possibly do."
  My response would be how wonderful that you have found a love, that makes you feel so alive and that makes you feel that you can over come any obstacle. How does this new feeling make you feel? Have you spoken to your new friend and discussed your condition? How will you adapt your new relationship with your condition. Lets dicsuss what you think is important at this time,and possibily think about the discontinuing of yor medication for a while. Have you discussed this with your private doctor?
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• 9/29/2009 8:22 PM Gabriel Diaz wrote:
  I would diagnosis Ms. Bard with a Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Reasons for this are the old behaviors of doing actions in "threes" for no functional purpose other then to satisfy her urges of compulsions. Also, she totally ignored the fact that she had done certain actions and it was unnecessary to repeat, she appeared to actually forget that she had done then, like a nagging feeling like she still had to do something. If I was the therapist for Mr. Udall I would respond by saying, "then I imagine that love has certainly rid you of any OCD behaviors. tell me why do you continue to seek treatment if you are completely cured?" Using this Motivational Interviewing approach to start I would hope that she could admit that there are still negative experiences in his life that need clinical attention and if he is convince that love has certainly taken him so far, then offer to him an opportunity to see if he can take it further. I would tell him that I am not there to cure him or do something that other people could or couldn't do, simply be there for help, because if he in fact does still have OCD behaviors that are negatively affecting his life then I want him to find the ways to adjust or cope with such behaviors. I am only there to help, at his disposal to figure out if maybe there is in fact a chance that things could get better and this isn't "as good as it gets."
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• 9/29/2009 8:32 PM Leann wrote:
  Bertha seems to have the classic case of OCD. Her repetitive actions of showering, handwashing, and opening/closing the door to make sure it is locked are all examples of Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder. These actions take up an enormous amount of time and seem to interfer with her daily life. These actions cause her stress and anxiety. Her anxiousness is also displayed in the way she leaves 4 hours early for her appointment. Her recurring and constant thoughts seem to be uncontrollable.
  
  The OCD song stresses how hard the symptoms are on the person. The repetitive actions, closed off world, and hopelessness can seem like death to that person. But, there is hope for that person if they choose. There can be light at the end of the tunnel with proper psychological and medical help.
  
  A patient has the right to continue or discontinue their therapy. Melvin seems to have found what has helped him - love. Giving and receiving love to another helped him to take the focus off himself. This created the courage to want to change and become a healthier person for himself.
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• 9/29/2009 11:59 PM Dr BLT wrote:
  Great responses everyone. Angelica, I think in this case, persistence has paid off. You responded to each question carefully and didn't rush through any of it. This may seem obsessive to some, but I assure you, in some cases, it pays to be a little on the obsessive side.
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• 9/30/2009 3:45 PM Robyn Bethell wrote:
  In the case of Bertha Bard, my preliminary diagnosis would be that of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. She clearly displays the symptom of "fear of contamination" in that she takes four showers, followed by four handwashing routines, and also uses hand sanitizer twice after locking her door. She seems obsessed with doing things four times, as demonstrated in her number of showers, number of handwashing routines, and even the number of hours that she is early to her appointment. The other symptom she clearly demonstrates is that of "doubts." This is demonstrated by her repeated locking and checking and unlocking, locking and checking, etc that she does before leaving for her appointment. She realizes that her thought patterns are unreasonable, yet she cannot control them.
  
  In the song OCD, it is implied that the disease is killing the person's life and personality. The disease is dragging them down, blocking their view of life and reality. Even with therapy and medication, it may not control the disease, which continues to control the affected person's life.
  
  In the case of my new patient, Melvin Udall, I am not sure how I would initially respond to his claim that his disease has been cured by his new love. First I would reflect happiness for him, that he feels better and has found an outlet for happiness in his life. But, not that I believe that an emotion as strong as love cannot do miraculous things, but I think that I would carefully begin to question Melvin about the changes in his behaviors and routines. I would want to know more about why he feels that this love has cured him, and ask for examples of the routines he used to have that he no longer needs to follow in order to feel secure. Hopefully if approached correctly, he would respond with truthful answers and we could find out if he indeed has been "cured" by love.
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• 9/30/2009 5:02 PM Kathleen Fenn wrote:
  I would agree with everyone that the diagnosis would be OCD for Bertha. As some have said she seems aware of it but cannot stop it. What would happen if she wrote down on a piece of paper the first time that she locked the door and that she checked that was actually locked. And when she gets nervous about it she can read the paper and clear her mind. Would this make her more compulsive to read the darn paper?
  It was interesting that even if her neighbor was watching she still went repeating the actions. I would think that it would be embarrassing for someone to see the individual doing these things.
  As for Mervin, I think one of his greatest healing moments was to see that his waitress friend took time to talk to him like nobody else had. This was great for his self esteem. It melted the cold ice wall that separated him from other people.
  It was very interesting to see Mervin's face when he realized that he had actually not locked the front door! He was amazed, shocked and pleasantly surprised!
  As it is mentioned in the song... the thoughts of an OCD person can drive them crazy. It must be hell to live with the nagging thoughts!
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• 9/30/2009 5:30 PM Vester Bradshaw wrote:
  It seems Bertha Bard is having trouble dealing with her symptoms. I believe I believe she has a disorder of Obsessive Compulsice Disorder. It seems she fits the criteria of this disorder because she has recurrent and persistent thoughts, she realizes her obsessional thoughts are a product of hr own mind, repetitive behaviors, and her behavior are geared to prevent a tragic accident. The symptoms she displayed where taking four showers in one day plus washing her hands, opening and locking the front door repeated, admits she is not in control of her thoughts, and she washed her hands with tissue and hand cleaner. I believe she repeatedly locked her door to possibly prevent a break in.
  
  I believe the underlying message to the song is OCD can cause distress to someone life. it seems this disorder could have people dislike their life because they can’t control their recurrent thoughts and behaviors. It appears you provided a Ray of hope to individuals suffering with this disorder. I think your message was with treatment and medication their symptoms could possibly get better.
  
  If a client came into therapy being resistant to services, I would address his options to for further treatment. I would tell him how he could benefit from further treatment and medication. I would also encourage client to get involved with support groups to get additional assistant with his disorder. However, I would not force my services upon any client. If client said they no longer needed my services, I would wish them well and explain to them that they are welcome back if they decide they need services. I think people find other motivations to get them through their tough situations, so it is possible for love to change someone perspective on live.
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• 10/3/2009 10:51 AM Mark McKinney wrote:
  The preliminary diagnosis I would entertain as a hypothesis concerning Bertha Bard would be OCD. The other reasons would be her four consecutive showers and her repetitive action at the door, classic OCD symptoms. The song implies that OCD is making life very difficult to live and getting help may not control the disease.
  I would respond by saying: I understand that the woman you have met makes you feel happy and helps you to stop thinking about yourself. If that is working for you lets go with that. I came home last night and I was watching comedy central and Kat Williams was on the channel. He was talking about his son who was seven, would get out of bed running. As soon as his foot would hit the floor, the boy would be running. He would run around the house all day, every day. He said tat he had gotten used to his boy running but his constant running made him tired. The most important part of the story is that his son was happy. The boy was always happy, running from here to there, the boy was happy. The school nurse said that the boys’ running was not healthy, Kat said “But he is happy”. Nevertheless, the nurse put the boy on medication to slow him down. Kat said that one day he came into the boys’ room and asked his boy who had been sitting in the same spot for three hours and asked him what he was thinking about and his sons’ reply was “runnin”. I think that sometimes being happy is more important and more medicinal than any evaluation or prescription anyone can give.
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• 10/4/2009 6:54 PM jaimey crawford wrote:
  I also, agree with everyone that the diagnosis would be OCD for Bertha. It appears that she is aware of her DX.
  
  I found it interesting that her neighbor was watching completing her daily rituals. i feel that it would be embarrassing.
  
  Melvin appeared to be a bit of an asshole and no one wanted anything to do with him, but this one very nice waitress that took the time to talk to him each day at 9am....i felt that he had made progress when he reached out to the waitress and went kto his therapist....even though he was acting like a nut the whole time ....he showed a softer side to Melvin the OCD ....asshole....
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• 10/4/2009 11:06 PM Irma Sanchez wrote:
  Bard’s constant hand washing routine, cycle of opening and locking front door, and leaving her house four hours early to her dr.’s appt are obvious symptoms of OCD. Therefore, I would also diagnose her with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I agree with Gabe ,her compulsions are obviously affecting her awareness of the fact that she had already done certain things such as, washing hands, locking door and that was unnecessary to repeat. If I was the therapist for Mr. Udall first of all I would validate his feelings and emotions, allow him to vent, and provide him with supportive listening. In this case I will use Adler’s reality therapy techniques to assist him understand the importance of continuing treatment for his OCD in order for his relationship to work.
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• 10/5/2009 12:40 PM Sarah V wrote:
  I would diagnose her with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder because of her repetitive behaviors. She mentions being anxious, and the actions calming her nerves, yet another symptom of OCD. She is also overly concerned with germs, which is another symptom. This would be my preliminary diagnosis for her. As far as Mr. Udall, I would explore further with him why he feels he has been cured. If he feels he no longer needs treatment, then I would try to terminate his treatment. If after questioning him I determined that he was not in fact "cured" as he claims, then I would point out his falacy in thinking and try to incourage him to continue treatment. It is ultimately the patients call, however, and if he wanted to discontinue it is his choice, however, I would be willing to see him again if he feels he needs to continue treatment at some point.
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• 10/5/2009 5:08 PM Shannon wrote:
  After reading the story I would suspect that Bertha suffers from the diagnosis OCD. This is indicated by her repetitive showering, hand washing and sanitizing rituals, and her continual checking of the door to be sure that it was locked.
  With regard to the song, OCD and the story of Bertha, it appears that perhaps the underlying message is that individuals suffering from this disorder are agonized by their own compulsions and are trapped in a world dictated by rituals and plagued by compulsions. It appears from the story and the song that OCD sufferers are victims of their own disorder and realize that they are imprisoned by the anxiety that their obsessions bring about.
  If I were the tending psychiatrist to Melvin Udall and he insisted to me that he did not need to receive treatment, as love has cured him as medication and past therapy were not successful in doing so, I would explore with Melvin some of the behaviors present in his life now or prior to his falling in love that have caused him uneasiness and suffering. I would ask that he explore his present relationship, and I would challenge him to reflect on what it was that allowed him to become vulnerable in this particular relationship in order to confront his short comings and find the strength to work on his issues in a constructive manner. I would take the approach that while finding love seems to have worked better than medication or previous therapy, the underlying issues that brought about many of the tribulations present in his life have not been completely addresses or adequately resolved. I would suggest that exploring some of these issues would help to facilitate healthy growth in his new relationship and a fuller understanding of himself and how he relates to others both in the past as well as presently.
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• 10/5/2009 5:22 PM Elida wrote:
  In the story of Bertha Bard, it is obvious that she is suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. She frequently engages in repetitive rituals. A common descriptor of a person who is suffering with this disorder. Another indicator is the uneasiness which is perceived throughout the story. A sense of nervousness is projected; as she explains to Edward, that she can not control this even if she wanted to. She refuses medication as she attempts to control this on her on, however, it is apparent that she has realized that she will eventually need medication, as she is clearly aware that she is not in control of her thoughts and actions and obsessive rituals. For Bertha, it must be time consuming, frustrating, and overwhelming. Clearly psychotherapy is required and needed. Needless to say, poor children (all three of them). Bertha really needs to reconsider MEDS! if not for her, for her kids sake.
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• 10/5/2009 5:26 PM Dave Dullum wrote:
  As you can see by the above blog that Bertha Bard has signs of moderate to severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) which include the repetition of opening and closing her apartment door three times, the refusal of sticks of gum but went on to explain that she would need to have three sticks instead of one. Also, her having three children. It was also noted that she had taken four shows and that she was going to be four hours early for her appointment She said that her doctor wanted her on medication because she was anxious. Could she have a dual diagnosis OCD and Frotteurism by the apology she made to Edwin about brushing against him?
  The OCD was great in that informed the listener what it felt like to have OCD, what some of the medications used in therapy with CBT. I think it showed that at times the disorder could take over your life and that one could think what good is the therapy doing. It also gives the listener the feeling of hope that with time the client could be helped.
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• 10/6/2009 2:31 PM Sue Bischetsrieder wrote:
  I concur with everyone so far that I would preliminarily diagnose Bertha with OCD. Her symptoms point to classic OCD in that they are keeping her from having a "normal" life and posses obsessive tendencies. I guess it is also possible that she could have a paranoia disorder in that she is paranoid over leaving the door unlocked, of germs, and of being late.
  
  In the case of my new client, I agree with some of the other responders; that 'love' cannot cure OCD. I do believe however that love can help motivate someone to change their OCD habits. I would ask Melvin how he thinks love has 'cured' him and what changes he has observed in himself. I would also asked him to explore what he would do if his 'love' failed.
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• 10/8/2009 12:12 AM Elida wrote:
  The OCD song is a favorable depiction of what OCD represents in the life of a person with this disorder. The one positive message within this song is the continuous promotion of hope, to a world, that is a whirlpool of ongoing must do's. Unfortunately, our clients tend to loose this hope; primarily those who require lengthy treatments
  
  In regards to Mr. Udall and his delusions of being cured by love. I would of course not discredit his belief of being cured. But, I would encourage him to continue his participation to ensure that his new cure, (love) is indeed a permanent state of being; rather than a temporary psych induced perceived cure. Of course, as we all know relationships although gratifying, bring disappointments and challenges. As a therapist,I would encourage Mr. Udall that due to the newness of this cure his continuous participation for at least the next 6 months would be very beneficial. Further, to ensure that his "perceived" recovery was indeed a success. I would hope as a therapist that he would agree.But ultimately, it is a choice that Mr. Udall would have to make, as he has the right to seek treatment or not. Again, I would validate his opinion and congratulate him on taking control of his life. I, like other future therapist would agree, would extend an open door invitation for Mr. Udall should he need my assistance.
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• 5/16/2011 9:33 AM Kailyn wrote:
  Haha. I woke up down today. You’ve chereed me up!
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