What are the factors that cause obsessive compulsive disorder?
It has not been fully discovered what causes obsessive compulsive disorder, that is, OCD. Therefore, no certainty has been achieved so far. Of course, a few assumptions are made. Despite the unknown source, it is estimated that biological factors, environmental reasons, genetic characteristics, as well as deterioration in brain functions and irregularity in the serotonin hormone, traumas experienced in childhood and the personality characteristics of the individual are/may be effective in the formation of OCD. It is thought that such factors play a significant role in the occurrence of OCD or may trigger the development of the disease.
While from the perspective of the world of biology, a connection is generally established through the serotonin system, in the explanations coming from the perspective of the world of psychology, learning theories are seriously emphasized. can be seen. OCD, which is an important and important disease that needs to be emphasized, begins in childhood and adolescence, which is generally described as the transition from childhood to adulthood. Unfortunately, it can increase especially in troubled and difficult periods when the individual's life is not going well.
->Biological factors
The brain is indeed an organ with a very complex structure. The regular functioning of this complex structure is carried out by nerve cells called neurons located in the brain. The number of these nerve cells, or neurons, exceeds billions. It is necessary and vital for these nerve cells to communicate with each other. Neurons communicate with electrical signals. Special chemicals called neurotransmitters help carry these electrical messages from neuron to neuron.
->Impairment in brain functions and serotonin
When we look at the research done on the brain, it is present in some parts of the brain and especially Detection of disorders in the functions of serotonin, which has an important role in neural transmission in the brain, has been shown to be a cause of OCD. It has led to further research. In the case of obsessive-compulsive disorder, it has been observed that there is excessive activity in certain parts of the brain. It is observed that the brain becomes even more active when the individual experiences symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It is hypothesized that a decrease in the level of serotonin, one of the neurotransmitters, may cause obsessive-compulsive disorder. This serotonin imbalance in the brain literally negatively affects the areas of the brain related to planning and common sense. It should also be noted that; There are also studies showing that infection caused by streptococcal bacteria leads to the development of obsessive compulsion.
->Genetic causes
People with obsessive-compulsive disorder often have first-degree relatives. It was determined that he had a history of OCD. The frequent occurrence of OCD in parents and other first-degree relatives of patients with OCD brings to mind the possibility that the disease is genetic. The fact that the change in the amount of serotonin is passed from parents to the child also suggests that obsessive-compulsive disorder may be genetic.
->Environmental factors
Some individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are highly affected by environmental stress factors. . Some environmental factors and serious life changes that a person encounters in life can cause symptoms to gradually worsen. Environmental factors: Stress experienced by a person in their social and family environment can trigger the development of the disease. While the person's disease progresses with mild symptoms, certain environmental factors may increase the symptoms of the disease.
->Childhood traumas
Those who were exposed to childhood traumas (for example, sexual abuse) may suffer from a serious illness in their later lives. The fact that OCD can occur after a stressful experience shows that early childhood plays an important role in the development of OCD. Abuse, changes in life situation (marriage, moving, having children), illness, loss of a loved one, changes or problems with work or school, relationship concerns, relationship traumas Titles such as domestic violence can have a traumatic effect on the child. Such traumatic effects are among the most important reasons that trigger the OCD problem.
->Personal factors
People with meticulous, normative, detail-oriented and perfectionist personality traits are prone to OCD.
What are the Treatment Methods for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
Obsessive compulsive disorder patients who go to the hospital with anxiety unfortunately keep their illness secret due to various thoughts, which prevents the person from applying for treatment. delays. Generally speaking, patients' applications can be delayed by up to ten years on average. It is not easy for many patients to consult a specialist because they do not see involuntary thoughts and repetitive behaviors caused by thoughts as a disorder for a long time and think that they do the compulsions because they actually need to be done. Some patients avoid consulting a specialist because they are ashamed of their symptoms of obsessional disorder and are afraid of treatment.
->Diagnostic Methods
There is no test that can be performed in a laboratory environment for obsessive-compulsive disorder. The diagnosis can be made by an expert psychologist based on the patient's symptoms and the patient's general behavior. During a psychological evaluation performed by a psychologist, thoughts, feelings, symptoms, and behavioral patterns are examined. It is sometimes difficult to diagnose obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) because the symptoms resemble obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia, or other mental health disorders. may be similar. People can have both obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and other mental disorders. For this reason, the psychologist who will evaluate the patient must consider all factors.
Early diagnosis is extremely important in the success of the treatment. The likelihood of this disorder going away on its own without treatment is very low. If obsessive thoughts and behaviors negatively affect the quality of life, a psychologist should be consulted without delay.
Most people with obsessive-compulsive disorder is aware of this situation. He knows that his obsessive and repetitive thoughts and actions are compulsive and negatively affect his life, but he still cannot control these thoughts and behaviors. These people, who are aware that their thoughts and actions are not normal, keep their illnesses secret for many years. This prolongs the person's recovery process.
OCD patients try to hide their illness for approximately 10 years before starting treatment. However, if the person wants to get rid of these thoughts and actions, the psychologist evaluates the client and the symptoms he/she shows. After the diagnosis is clarified, rapid results can be achieved with both medication and cognitive behavioral therapy, individually tailored to the individual.
->Treatment Methods
If obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is not treated, It may not get better on its own, so it is extremely important to get treatment.
The person may be referred to a health care professional who is specially trained to diagnose and treat mental illnesses. The most effective approach to treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) combines medications with appropriate therapies.
->Psychotherapy
It helps to reduce exaggerated or obsessive thoughts that are often seen in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients. It is a focused treatment method. The goal is to help people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) confront their anxiety-producing beliefs without engaging in compulsive behavior. In the psychotherapy treatment method, the client participates in meetings with the psychotherapist for an average of 12-20 sessions, at least weekly, and also applies the work done in the sessions outside the session. Patients who regain their health with treatment; Quality of life, relationship with family, social environment, educational and professional success improve significantly. The aim of therapy treatment is to prevent patients from performing their rituals, enabling them to face their fears and reducing their anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on reducing exaggerated catastrophic thoughts of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, helps the patient move away from thoughts that he perceives as real. Obsessive patients experience this with worrying thoughts. They try to cope by running away and avoiding thoughts. However, as you try to escape from your thoughts, these thoughts increase even more, thus creating a vicious circle. The aim of behavioral treatments is to confront the patient with thoughts [obsessions] that cause anxiety and cause escape and avoidance behaviors because they create anxiety, and to prevent repetitive behaviors [compulsions] that come into play to reduce the anxiety created by this comparison. The goal is to extinguish the anxiety caused by the disturbing thought and to create a state of habituation. Treatment performed in this way is called habituation treatments. The aim of cognitive treatments is to reduce the perception of responsibility created by disturbing thoughts. When there is no perception of responsibility, patients will not feel the need to show repetitive behaviors to neutralize and neutralize the disturbing thoughts that come to mind. The aim is to reduce perceiving thoughts as real. For this reason, in the treatment, it is investigated together with the patient to what extent the perceptions of threat, danger and excessive responsibility are realistic and which thought errors result in exaggerated perceptions of threat and danger. After the cognitive errors are identified, these thoughts that are not functional enough are replaced with more realistic and functional ones. Patients who think their thoughts will result in a disaster are specifically asked to bring these thoughts to mind instead of stopping them, and then seeing that the feared consequences do not occur is an important benefit in adapting to treatment. Cognitive and behavioral therapies have a very important place both in the treatment of the disease and especially in the prevention of relapses, and they can be used sometimes alone or together with drug treatments. Cognitive behavioral treatments have the most important place among treatment options. In psychotherapy, the person is confronted with underlying emotions such as fear in order to prevent the person's thoughts and actions. Thus, the person is prevented from obsessive behavior.
->Medication
Serotonin levels in the brain in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients
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