Obsession is the name given to thoughts that we cannot get out of our minds even though we know they are meaningless and ridiculous, and compulsion is the name given to repetitive actions done to eliminate these thoughts. If these obsessions become large enough to affect our daily lives and occupy us, they are considered a disease and called "Obsessive-compulsive disorder". This is the condition popularly called "anxiety disease".
The most common obsessions are contamination, fear of harm, symmetry, religious or sexual thoughts. The most common compulsions include washing, checking doors and windows, opening and closing, counting, touching, and praying over and over again thinking that something is wrong. Obsessions can be seen at any age, even in childhood. It is considered natural to have some rituals at a young age, in the pre-school period. Walking without stepping on the lines, doing the preparations before going to bed in a certain order, eating the food on the plate in order, always wanting to wear the same sweater. These are the methods that children use to control and cope with the life that they have difficulty getting used to. It does not cause dysfunction because it helps them control anxiety and is in the form of a game. It even helps them socialize. Obsessions in childhood are disturbing and differ from these innocent rituals by disrupting the flow of daily life. It is usually accompanied by cleaning (repeatedly washing hands, spending a long time in the bathroom), anxiety that something will happen to the parents, and counting, touching, and sorting behaviors to prevent this.
Because it is not known that this disease can occur in children, symptoms usually appear. It was noticed by the family a long time after its release. Since these children receive frequent warnings from their environment such as "don't do it, hurry up, don't talk nonsense", their self-esteem decreases and they may become withdrawn. It will be prevented.
I wish you healthy days.
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