Most of us, from time to time, cannot be sure whether we have closed the stove or the street door, or even though we know that we have closed it, we want to see it with our own eyes and confirm the accuracy of the situation. Some people are extremely meticulous about cleanliness. There are also people who cannot feel comfortable without repeating the same thing while praying and therefore cannot finish the prayer. In some people, this situation increases so much that their lives can become unbearable. These repetitions and obsessions do not suit the person at all. It occurs when a thought constantly comes to your mind. For example, a mother who is very fond of her son never forgets the thought of killing him, and sexual urges and desires towards family members can be given as examples of this situation. A very clean person constantly cleans because he feels everything is dirty and this makes his life unbearable. A mother who is very fond of her son cannot touch a knife, scissors or even nail clippers for fear of harming her son. There are also children in the family and those who are not in the same environment with the opposite sex, thinking "I will cause sexual harm". Some people buy car tires and put them aside, saying, "One day, if I have a car, I will change the tires when they flat."
All these may seem funny to most of you. In fact, you are no different from those who suffer from this problem. They also think like you. They find everything they do funny and exaggerated. Despite this, they cannot prevent these distressing thoughts from eating into their minds. These people are reacted by those around them because of the actions they take to alleviate the distress within them. For example, a woman who cleans excessively has big fights with her husband because of water and detergent expenses, etc.
People with such a problem usually hide themselves or cover up what they have done by making logical explanations about the situation. They fear that they will be condemned and branded as crazy because of these absurd thoughts. Very religious people feel a great sense of guilt because of their thoughts of blasphemy and denial against religion and the prophet. Also with this person Many people constantly repeat their ablution and prayer, thinking that their ablution and prayer are not complete, and this may distract them from worshiping and even from religion.
So, what is this concern?
This is what we call obsessive compulsive disorder. The main feature of the disease is obsessions and compulsions that cause intense distress and waste of time. Thoughts and impulses that are unwanted, that constantly occupy the mind even though they cause distress, or that come to mind repeatedly are called obsessions. Obsession is the equivalent of delusion used among the public. Repetitive behaviors that the individual cannot help doing despite strict rules or in order to reduce the distress caused by the obsession as a result of the obsession are called compulsions.
The type of obsession is not important in making a diagnosis. Regardless of what type of obsession he has, the person is diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder. The patient generally avoids situations that will trigger obsessions. For example, a patient with a pollution obsession does not touch anything, thinking that it will be contaminated with germs.
OCD usually begins in the 20s and has a chronic course. The disease may worsen in its natural course, especially with stress. Afterwards, the symptoms may decrease for a while.
When mild cases are included, the lifetime incidence is 5.9%. According to research conducted in recent years, the biological aspect of OCD predominates. Disorder in the secretion of serotonin and dopamine in some parts of the brain is the cause of OCD. In addition, these people experience increases in blood flow and metabolism in some parts of their brains. The fact that the disease occurs in 35% of patients' first-degree relatives supports the relationship between OCD and heredity.
Cognitive and behavioral therapy and medication are used in the treatment of OCD. Research conducted to answer the question of whether it should be treated with medication or therapy shows that the best results are achieved when both are done together
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