Many people are obsessed with at least one area. But sometimes the obsession reaches a stage where it becomes a disease. In this article, we will examine the disease of obsession.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
People who are affected by this disease are repeatedly and out of control with severe mental and practical obsessions. Severe obsession causes discomfort, stress and disruption in the lives of these people.
All kinds of obsessions
- Obsession to control: these people are constantly leaking gas, closing doors and windows, etc. This type of obsession disrupts the daily life of these people and makes them late for work or lessons or appointments.
- Obsession with cleanliness: These patients are always worried about their belongings, clothes and body being dirty. They wash themselves or their clothes over and over and never feel clean. This kind of obsession also causes problems in their work and life and their plans, and on the other hand, excessive washing causes bleeding hands and skin problems.
- Hoarding: These people keep things that are not useful for them or even spoiled.
- Obsession: People who suffer from obsessive thoughts spend hours thinking about a subject and usually do not reach a conclusion.
- Obsession with disturbing and annoying thoughts: This case is also like obsessive thoughts, but unpleasant and annoying thoughts come to people. For example, the affected person may spend hours thinking about whether their face is beautiful or not, or whether their clothes are suitable or not.
- Obsession with order and symmetry: These patients are worried about whether everything is in its place or not and that everything should be symmetrical.
People sometimes suffer from one type of obsession and sometimes several types of obsession may come to them together.
Symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder
Fear of germs and contamination, excessive washing of hands or clothes, being sensitive to the opening or closing of the house or car, not being sure that the water or gas tap is closed, obsession with doing tasks and duties, or Placing objects and devices symmetrically and regularly.
In most cases, obsession bothers the affected person and sometimes it causes trouble to those around him and ultimately damages their relationships with their family and friends.
How do we know we are obsessed?
People who always do their work with order and precision are not obsessive. When we can say that a person has an obsessive disease that disturbs the person’s life and somehow affects the relationships and order of the person’s life. For example, a person may not succeed in completing his education or lose his job and even have problems in his married life or lead to divorce.
Since obsession is considered a kind of disease, it should be treated before it becomes severe so as not to harm the person and those around him.
A psychologist or psychiatrist can identify the type and severity of obsessive compulsive disorder.
Treatment of obsessions
In the first step, a person must accept that he is suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder and go to a specialist for treatment. Medication and psychiatric advice are usually used for treatment. In fact, these people have a lack of serotonin in their brain. Psychiatrists prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for these people. This drug prevents the reabsorption of serotonin in the brain.
Serotonin is released from nerve cells. This substance is reabsorbed through the cell after it has its effect. These drugs block the reabsorption of serotonin to increase its effect.
But apart from medicine, psychiatrists also use behavioral therapy. In this method, the patient is forced to face the factor that he is obsessed with and is prohibited from giving an answer to the factor of obsession.
In some way, the patient must show resistance to the obsessive factor and not respond to it. This method of treatment is associated with multiple sessions and increased frequency and time.
Usually, at least 3% of people in society are facing this disease, which can be prevented or treated by recognizing it and accepting it as a disease.
