''Obsessed'' is an American

documentary series Television documentaries are televised media productions that screen documentaries. Television documentaries exist either as a television documentary series or as a television documentary film. *Television documentary series, sometimes called d ...

that began airing on the A&E Network on May 29, 2009. The series depicts the real-life struggle and treatment of people with

anxiety disorders Anxiety disorders are a cluster of mental disorders characterized by significant and uncontrollable feelings of anxiety and fear such that a person's social, occupational, and personal function are significantly impaired. Anxiety may cause physi ...

, including obsessive-compulsive disorder,

panic disorder Panic disorder is a mental and behavioral disorder, specifically an anxiety disorder characterized by reoccurring unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear that may include palpitations, sweating, shaking, short ...

social anxiety disorder Social anxiety disorder (SAD), also known as social phobia, is an anxiety disorder characterized by sentiments of fear and anxiety in social situations, causing considerable distress and impaired ability to function in at least some aspects o ...

, and

general anxiety disorder Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a mental disorder, mental and Abnormal behavior, behavioral disease#Disorder, disorder, specifically an anxiety disorder characterized by excessive, uncontrollable and often irrational worry about events or a ...

. Robert Sharenow of A&E has said about the show "The series sheds a light on the vast world of anxiety disorders, while offering those who suffer from these debilitating afflictions a path to recovery..."

Critical reaction

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

's online review of the show is mixed. It refers to the first half of the show as "providing a kind of voyeuristic carnival element" but later on in the review states that the producers make the show "mostly about the pain and loneliness of such disorders; it's not strictly a freak show". Website

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

' review of the show concludes with saying the show "falls short" which "has to do both with the complexity of these conditions and its own limited, conventional means of conveying subjective states. " Pop Matters – Reviews – ''Obsessed''
/ref>

Format

The first portion of each episode is dedicated to showing how each subject is affected by their disorder. The second portion of each episode shows the subjects undergoing cognitive behavioral therapy to treat their disorder.

Episode list

Season 1

Season 2

References

External links

* *
Futon Critic interview with executive producer Troy Searer

Casting for A&E's Obsessed
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obsessed 2009 American television series debuts 2000s American reality television series 2010 American television series endings 2010s American reality television series A&E (TV network) original programming 2000s American documentary television series 2010s American documentary television series Anxiety disorders English-language television shows Television about mental health