Phenomenological investigation of obsessive-compulsive disorder

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.