The mental health disorder I have chosen for analysis is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). First, I will discuss the symptoms and diagnostic criteria found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Next, I will cover the treatment of OCD as it relates to the strengths perspective and the medical model of mental health. Finally, I will discuss the ethical responsibilities of social workers toward clients in the mental health field. Symptoms and diagnostic criteria OCD often begins in adolescence or early adulthood (DSM, 2000). It is in the Axis I category of the DSM. This often starts from a certain experience in the client's life. These experiences may be due to trauma, abuse, or other significant life transitions. For most people, OCD develops gradually over time, and it may take many years for fully developed OCD to develop. The cause of OCD is unknown, but "studies of families and twins show that it has a strong hereditary component and is likely genetically linked to Tourette's disorder" (Andreason & Black, p.190). Two very important aspects of OCD are obsession and compulsion. Clients will develop an obsession which can be defined by the DSM as "recurring and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced, at some point during the disturbance, as intrusive and inappropriate and that cause anxiety or distress." marked distress” (p. 462). Compulsion is “repetitive behaviors or mental acts that the person feels they must perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be rigidly applied” (DSM, 2000, p. 462). These obsessive thoughts are more than just everyday worries. life. These obsessions create a lot of anxiety and stress in the client's life. A client can have observations...... middle of paper ...... himself in an ethically competent manner. We must work within the limits of our training, education, certification, licensure, knowledge, etc. I should not diagnose a client unless I have completed adequate training and have the appropriate licensure. Clients have the right to confidentiality and privacy in the worker-client relationship. These are just some of the ethical responsibilities we, as social workers, have to clients in the mental health field. Works CitedAndreasen, N., Black, D (2006). Introductory Textbook of Psychiatry, Fourth Edition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing, IncCognitive-Behavioral Therapy… (nd). National Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapists. Retrieved June 22, 2010, from http://nacbt.org/whatiscbt.htmDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Arlington, Virginia: American Psychiatric Association