Obsession Disease

Obsession disease (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder [OCD]) is an important disorder that affects the quality of life in both adults and children. Those who suffer from this disease are so fed up with the repetitions, obsessions, and rituals in their lives that in advanced stages, they may even come to the stage of "let me die and get rid of it." The incidence rate in society is around 1-2%. The incidence rates in men and women are approximately the same. It is more common in males in the childhood age group. Peak age of onset occurs in two periods; childhood (10-11 years old) late adolescence-young adulthood (19-23 years old). OCD, which has an insidious onset, takes a long time to diagnose and treat. The reasons for this long diagnosis period include the fact that sexual obsessions are not talked about ashamedly, and cleanliness obsessions are approved and normalized by society. These are thoughts, impulses and fantasies that efforts to eliminate have failed. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors and mental actions that occur as a reaction to obsessions and to reduce the anxiety arising from obsessions, or that are felt to be implemented according to strict rules. Among the public, obsessions are known as "anxiety, delusion, obsession" and compulsions are known as "compulsion". Obsessions generally manifest themselves in three ways: 1) The words that pass through your mind also contain doubts, for example: “Did I lock the door? What if what I did was wrong? 2) Mental images, like a picture that suddenly appears in your mind. 3) Urges or a sudden strong desire to do something. Obsessions suddenly enter your mind uninvited and are unwanted and distressing. Once it comes to mind, it takes over your attention and it's really hard to think about anything else. Obsessions tend to contain ideas that are not compatible with your personality, moral values, ideals and goals. The themes are different. Themes of violence or harm: Desire to cause severe harm to a loved one (throwing a loved one off a bridge), mental images of doing horrific things to a loved one (throwing her baby off the balcony, stabbing her spouse). doubts about whether you accidentally hurt someone (I ran over someone while reversing and didn't notice). Sexually themed obsessions: thoughts and mental images of you performing a sexual act that you normally find disgusting, or the desire to carry out the thought (mental images of touching a child in a sexual manner) doubts about your sexuality, whether you are a pervert or a child molester doubts (Was I aroused when I hugged the boy? Was I aroused when I looked at the men in the locker room?). Religious obsessions: Thoughts about committing a sinful act or going to the power of God, mental images (images that are not religious, condemned to hell), impulses (blasphemy comes to mind during prayer, desire to curse God) general doubts (I wonder? Did I commit a sin and forget to repent? Will God punish my loved ones because of my behavior?

The obsessions I mentioned above occupy a person's mind a lot and increase his distress and anxiety level. The actions taken to reduce this distress are called compulsions. Short-term relief provided by compulsions is seen as a way for the person to overcome these obsessions and is repeated frequently. After this short-term relief, these thoughts and impulses come again. The vicious circle continues... I would like to give a few examples of compulsions. Disarming or neutralizing the “bad” thought by bringing to mind a good or safe thought Performing rituals to prevent the harm the thought may cause (washing hands, counting to the “lucky” or “holy” number, not stepping on lines while walking on the street ). Questioning again and again whether any harm has been caused, whether it is sinful or not. People with sexual obsessions constantly scan newspaper and television news, wondering "did I do something?" saying.