Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in "As Good as it Gets"

"As Good As It Gets" --Plot Summary-- Melvin Udall is a homophobic, bitter, lonely man. He spends his days in the confinement of his own apartment, writing novels. Each morning he follows a routine, from sitting in the same seat at the restaurant, to demanding Carol to be his waitress, and even scaring away those who may be sitting in his spot when he arrives. It isn't until his homosexual neighbour, Simon, is brutally beaten …

…behaviour therapy. In Melvin's case, Carol is his therapy, as the viewer can see him getting better and better the more time he spends with her. Though Melvin also takes medication, Carol is the best remedy for this OCD patient. In order for the proper treatment to be administered, however, it is important that this character is recognized as having an actual medical disorder, and not just be looked upon as simply being overly eccentric.