Thursday, February 3, 2011

DSM IV Diagnostic Criteria for Creative Compulsive Disorder

300.3A Creative-Compulsive Disorder

Diagnostic Features
The essential features of Creative-Compulsive Disorder are recurrent obsessions or compulsions to Create just about anything, severe enough to be time consuming (i.e.,they take more than 1 hour a day) or cause marked distress or significant impairment when they can not be carried out to satisfaction. At some point during the course of the disorder, the person has recognized that the compulsions are excessive or unreasonable, but can not be stopped.
Compulsions are repetitive behaviors (e.g., painting, knitting, baking, photography, sewing, drawing, printmaking, writing) or mental acts (e.g., planning, daydreaming, thinking of new projects) the goal of which is to prevent or reduce anxiety or stress and provide pleasure or gratification. In most cases, the person feels driven to perform the compulsion to prevent or postpone some dreaded event or situation (e.g., dishwashing, clothes washing, sweeping, personal hygiene, gainful employment).

Prevalence
Community studies have estimated a life time prevalence of 45% in adults. However, methodological problems with the assessment tool used raise the possibility that the true prevalence rates are much higher. In most cases the persons with Creative-Compulsive Disorder tend to aggregate in clusters disguised as knitting circles, craft groups, critic groups, or art school.

Course
Creative-Compulsive Disorder often begins in childhood, showing a dark and twisted spike in teen years. In the majority of adults there is an exacerbation of symptoms related to life changing events such as marriage, a new residence, and the birth of children. About 35% show progressive deterioration in occupational and social functioning. About 1% have an episodic course with minimal or no symptoms between episodes.

Diagnostic criteria for
300.3A Creative-Compulsive Disorder

A. Either Obsessions or compulsions:

Obsessions as defined by (1), (2), (3) and (4):

(1) recurrent and persistent creative thoughts, impulses or images that are experienced that must be written down, sketched out, or in the most severe cases brought to fruition to prevent marked anxiety or distress from occurring

(2) the thoughts, impulses, or images are not satisfied by remaining simple fleeting fantasies but must have at least some material beginning, though completions is often not achieved. .

(3) attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, impulses or images are futile.

(4) The person recognizes that there are not enough hours in a life time to complete all obsessive thoughts, impulses or images but supplies must be purchased anyway.

Compulsions as defined by (1) and (2):

(1) repetitive behaviors (e.g., painting, knitting, baking, photography, sewing, drawing, printmaking, writing) or mental acts (e.g., planning, daydreaming, thinking of new projects) that the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession, are carried out regardless of realistic time constraints, hours in a day, or in extreme cases needs of family members.

(2) the behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing some dreaded event or situation (e.g., dishwashing, clothes washing, sweeping, personal hygiene, gainful employment); however, these behaviors or mental acts either are not connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralize or prevent or are clearly excessive.

B. The person has experienced Nocturnal Creations, being aroused from a deep sleep with a seemingly brilliant idea that must be written down, sketched, or in the most severe cases brought to fruition.

C. Number of thoughts, impulses or images is extremely disproportionate to projects completed.

D. At some point during the course of the disorder, the person has recognized that the obsessions or compulsions are excessive or unreasonable, but has no desire to stop.

8 comments:

  1. Hilarious! Doctor, what's the treatment?? Sounds contagious. haha. This is terrific. Ok, I will learn to link so I can set up a connection with this. peace.

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  2. Ha! But how will it be updated for the upcoming DSM-V? I should be so lucky as to have patients with this disorder. ;)

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  3. The update for the DSM-V will be all hand embroidered, include LED lighting for bullet points, and come with a home kit, so you could have a copy for yourself.

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  4. What's with the qualms about writing? This piece is fabulous, Daisey. I especially like (2)D.
    D

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  5. This is hilarious! I love it! Sandi

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  6. I think I am a total addict to this disorder. Help! I just woke up out of a warm sound sleep in a cold house to work on a Valentine's Day project. My house is messy and my dishes need to be done. Instead of finishing the heart tablecloth because my needlework wasn't what I wanted it to be tonight, I decided to work on a book I am writing but then all my thoughts started running together. I drifted off onto facebook. I now find I am diseased, can't sleep in a cold messy house with dishes and laundry to do and unfinished Valentine's day project, an unfinished book, and I'm thinking about mixing up a batch of my mother's oatmeal cookies...HELP, it is 5:30 in the AM and I need to sleep. Is there any cure to this obsession?
    Daisey this need to be published in an Arts Magazine. Bravo, another job well done. LOL

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  7. Did you know that some people think this is a real disorder!

    http://www.davidicke.com/forum/showthread.php?t=271402

    Check out the 11th post!

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    Replies
    1. That's so funny! Did they bother to read the post!

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