Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, also known as obsession, is a mental illness that consists of repeating ideas, thoughts, images or fears that cause stress to the person and repetitive behaviors attempted to eliminate them. The state these people experience is different from the anxiety, fear and obsession that many people experience in daily life. It is considered obsessive-compulsive disorder when obsessions and compulsions make the person's daily life unlivable, he becomes unable to show the desired attention to his family members and close circle, and therefore these repetitive ideas and behaviors occupy a significant portion of his time.
The disease is a cycle. comes to the body around it. Ideas that the person is unable to prevent are called obsessions and become a recurring source of stress. In this process, ritual-like behaviors, that is, compulsions, are resorted to, which seem to be a way of salvation to suppress stress. Although compulsions provide short and temporary relief, they cannot prevent the obsessions from reoccurring and the person becomes trapped in an inextricable cycle.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, seen in 3 out of every 100 people; As it occurs in childhood, adolescence and adulthood, it is not specific to a certain socioeconomic segment or minority. It is more common in men than women.
Although the cyclical structure of the disease is similar in every society and culture, there can be countless variations of the person's obsessive ideas and fears and the ritual-like behaviors he resorts to in order to balance them. The most common types of these are contamination and cleanliness, suspicion and control, symmetry and order, touch and counting obsessions.
Contamination and cleanliness: Contamination and cleanliness: Contamination and cleanliness: The person's body, clothes, the environment where he lives or works, such as dirt, dust and germs, which do not contain hygiene items. They have obsessions that substances will be contaminated. As a result, he spends most of his time over-cleaning his body and environment or thinking of absurd solutions to prevent contamination.
Doubt and control: Doubt is one of the strong obsessions. A person cannot continue his daily life without clearing his doubt. Doubt is usually safe It occurs in HR-related situations. The iron that is not unplugged, the stove that is not gas turned off, the doors that are not locked keep revolving in the patient's mind. In response to this obsession, a control compulsion develops. Numerous checks are carried out in order to be sure of the suspicious situation.
Symmetry and order: As a result of the need for symmetry, which is one of the most common obsessions, the person pays attention to the order of every object he sees. Even though he has arranged the house he lives in according to this obsession, it becomes difficult for him to stop himself when he enters public buildings or other houses. The objects he wants to look symmetrical may be the fringes of a carpet, or the order he is trying to achieve may contain a texture that has meaning only for him.
Apart from these, sexual and religious obsessions, hoarding and hiding, counting and touching compulsions are also frequently observed.
Although Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder has not been fully elucidated due to its emergence, it has been observed that genetic causes, brain functions, past experiences and personality traits are effective.
Genetic Factors: It is believed that the hormonal imbalance is transferred from the parents and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is affected by the disorder. -Findings that these symptoms are seen in the parents of clients with compulsive disorder also point to the genetic side of OCD.
Brain: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder can also be explained by the decrease in the level of the hormone called serotonin. Since serotonin, in addition to its role in communication between neurons, determines the function of some parts of the brain, abnormal decreases in its level can lead to OCD.
Trauma: Events such as sexual abuse, loss of a valuable relative, or natural disaster that the client was exposed to in his childhood, It can combine with other environmental factors to cause OCD.
Personality Traits: It has been observed that the incidence of OCD is higher in people who are perfectionists, think in detail, meticulously and follow rules.
Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder It is of great importance for a person to continue his life. The reaction of family and friends during the process before consulting a specialist may change the patient's perception of the treatment. at early The possibility of treatment and the acceleration of the return from treatment depend on this. Medication and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy are known as the best methods for treating OCD.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapist tries to prevent obsessions that cause compulsions in order to break the cycle in which the client is trapped. By preventing compulsions, it allows the person to confront disturbing thoughts. A person who cannot get rid of obsessions from his mind through repeated behaviors enters a process where he destroys the reality and sense of responsibility contained in these ideas and is replaced by healthy thoughts. For this reason, it is definitely beneficial to get support from a psychologist.
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