Obsessed

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Sensitive, intense docu about coping with anxiety disorders.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this informative series about people with anxiety disorders doesn't shy away from their struggles and intense treatments and therapies. Although the stories are offered in an educational context and are treated sensitively and respectfully, hearing about some of the events that contributed to the disorders' onset is disturbing and/or heartbreaking. It's not intended for kids, and sensitive viewers of any age may also have a tough time with it.

  • The series sheds light on what it's like to live and cope with severe anxiety disorders and offers some information about treating them. The patients come from all walks of life.
  • Anxious patients sometimes lose their cool when undergoing exposure therapy, but there’s nothing really violent. One patient is dealing with the death of her father in a terrible bus crash; a picture of the bloody car wreckage is shown. The same patient also holds on to her father’s bloody clothing from that fatal night.
  • During therapy, occasional questions come up about sexual functions, but they're asked within a clinical context. Relationship issues are also discussed. One therapist tells her germ-phobic patient a made-up story about her period and a tampon as part of his treatment.
  • Words like “hell” and “damn” are sometimes heard. Stronger words are bleeped.
  • One therapist drives a BMW; at least one patient drives a Ford.
  • Patients are sometimes shown smoking in response to their anxiety. Social drinking is occasionally visible.

What's the story?

OBSESSED examines what it's like to live with and be treated for anxiety disorders. In each episode, viewers meet two people suffering from problems like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, and hoarding. The patients film themselves engaging in ritual behaviors that are blocking them -- both physically and emotionally -- from participating in everyday activities. They then undergo weeks of intense therapy designed to help them manage their fears. A few weeks after completing treatment, their therapists follow up to see whether they've been able to continue to control their obsessive behavior.


Is it any good?

 

Obsessed offers an interesting, sensitive look at how anxiety disorders manifest themselves, as well as how these disorders are treated. While it doesn't always delve into the specific reasons why a patient is responding to anxiety in the way that they do, it does offer some general examples of what can trigger certain behaviors. The show also provides details about how these disorders, if left untreated, can get increasingly worse and more debilitating over time.

It's hard to watch the featured patients being trapped by their own anxieties, especially when their loved ones (including children) are shown trying to understand these extreme behaviors. These scenes are a little voyeuristic, but they also underscore the desperation and loneliness felt by the people who suffer from these disorders. And they remind viewers that while the media may often depict these behaviors as being amusing, most real-life obsessions are anything but funny.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about anxiety disorders. Can a specific event trigger these disorders, or is it a combination of factors? Where should people who suffer from these disorders go for help? Families can also discuss how the media portrays people with mental illnesses. Do you think the media perpetuates specific stereotypes about mental illness? Do shows like this help break them? Should compulsive behaviors ever be treated as a source of entertainment?


This review was written by Melissa Camacho
Kid, 12 years old
January 14, 2010
 
austin ford
AUSTIN SAYS "OH F*** CRYING OUT LOUD INSTEAD OF FOR".

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Adult
July 25, 2009
 
High School+
I find this show harmless to teens. It's about people with OCD, one woman puts a toothbrush inside her until she bleeds and another one is afraid shes going to kill someone but the details are not MA or anything. Good for high school age and up.

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Teen, 18 years old
May 19, 2009
 
BOO
BORING1!!!!!!!!!!

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This review was written by Melissa Camacho
TV rating:TV-PG
Network:A&E
Cast:Karen Pickett, Rebecca Gladding
Genre:Reality TV

This review was written by Melissa Camacho
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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