Phenomenological investigation of obsessive-compulsive disorder

Martin Bürgy

pp. 45-59

in: Giovanni Stanghellini, Massimiliano Aragona (eds), An experiential approach to psychopathology, Berlin, Springer, 2016

Abstract

This chapter proposes a phenomenological investigation of obsessive-compulsive disorder which progresses from "static understanding', through "genetic understanding' to the "hermeneutic understanding'. The four most important groups are phenomenologically discussed using clinical examples: compulsive checking; compulsive repetition, compulsive orderliness and obsessive thoughts; washing, polishing and cleaning compulsions; and collecting and hoarding. Both in the experience of the person with obsessive-compulsive disorder and in the hermeneutic interpretation of the disorder the fear of death and defense against it, and thus the anthropological dimension of obsessive-compulsive disorder can be recognized.