TITLE

Maternal Instinct, or O.C.D.?

DESCRIPTION

The author of the article recounts her experience after her child was born and how her OCD reached highly intense levels to the point of feeling like mental illness.   The article discusses OCD related to childbirth:  “Postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder affects about 2 percent of childbearing women, about twice the rate of O.C.D. in the general population.”  The problems, causes (environment, developmental, biological, evolutionary), and symptoms are discussed by professionals commenting on the problem.  (Use this article as it relates to child development/pregnancy/birth issues as well as parenting issues, and in the abnormal Psychology chapters.)

SOURCE

New York Times, August 2, 2017, by Kelly Kautz

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/well/family/maternal-instinct-or-ocd.html

(Tiny URL)  http://tinyurl.com/ybkjqu9s

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

•What is OCD?

•First, discuss the symptoms in general and the types of thoughts and behaviors associated with the disorder.  Specially what is Post Partum OCD?

•What advice can be gleaned from the article regarding handling and ameliorating the OCD symptoms of this post partum condition?

•Depending on how the instructor runs the class, a discussion can be started regarding students experiences of this condition.  Though most instructors have a bias against anecdotes, this may be a good discussion starting point.