Sometimes thoughts, ideas, feelings and behaviors become repetitive and uncontrollable. How to avoid mental obsessions? You need to know how to stop unwanted actions that push the affected person to do something over and over again.
What are mental obsessions?
Mental obsessions are disorders that motivate undesirable actions. They force the patient to constantly repeat an action, even against his will. These obsessive rituals provide you with short-term relief and its non-execution causes him anxiety and suffering.
Main causes of mental obsessions
As they indicate Mayo Clinic professionalsAmong the causes of mental obsessions or obsessive compulsive disorders we can find:
- Neurochemical or brain function changes.
- Genetic components, which have not yet been specified.
- Learning, from the repetition of behaviors that those affected have seen around them.
Similarly, the traumatic events increase the risk to suffer from this disorder.
- While it’s not known exactly what causes them, mental obsessions can be hereditary.
- They can also be attributed to a too strict upbringing. Overprotective and controlling parents can increase anxiety in the child.
A diagnosis that could be late
Some parents and teachers are able to recognize the symptoms of these mental obsessions in time. Most people, however, are diagnosed by age 19 or 20. Others show symptoms after age 30. Even children can suffer from this type of pathology.
Anxiety disorders cause fear and insecurity for long periods. Due to the fear, those affected do not carry out their daily activities normally.
obsessive-compulsive disorder
According to the Mayo Clinic, OCD is characterized by the presence of fears and unwanted thoughts (obsessions) that cause repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Both interfere in people’s daily life suffering from this type of disorder, causing them suffering.
Under normal conditions, one person performing an action twice is not a big deal. If, before leaving, you want to make sure that the stove is off and double check, this is not an indication of the presence of the disturbance.
In those affected, this check can be repeated daily and indefinitely. It is usually accompanied by repetitive thoughts or routines, causing distress, anxiety and affecting daily life.
They are known as obsessions and those who suffer from them cannot control themselves.
- Obsessions include fear of germs, fear of hurting someone, disturbing religious or sexual thoughts. They can also consist of aggressive thoughts about losing control or unwanted thoughts such as hurting other people.
- Compulsions, or repetitive behaviors, have to do with caring for, counting, cleaning, or arranging objects in a particular way. They can cause school and work absenteeism.
Symptoms of the ailments
In people with mental obsessions, some rituals like washing hands or repeating the same steps over and over again are uncontrollable.
- They also cannot control their thoughts and Though they get no pleasure from the rituals, they do get a anxiety relief.
- They maintain this routine for at least an hour a day, which distresses them and interferes with their usual tasks.
- Symptoms may get better or worse. Sometimes they even disappear to reappear.
Obsessions that can be disabling
These mental obsessions decrease the patient’s quality of life They are physically and emotionally exhausting.
- These patients isolate themselves and their relationship with family members can be conflicted.
- In some cases the discomfort is generated by the ritual and the inability to control it; in others, relatives tend to ignore them or cooperate in the rituals, which is also counterproductive.
Can mental obsessions be overcome?
In case of suspicion, the first thing to do is consult a psychologist or psychiatrist to carry out an evaluation. If necessary, you will be referred to a specialist for further treatment.
Talk therapy with a psychologist, psychiatrist, or social worker might be next. Therapy can teach you to think, act, and react to stressful situations like rituals. These treatments manage to reduce anxiety and fear, as well as obsessive thoughts and, with them, compulsive actions.
- Antidepressants and anxiolytics (always prescribed by a specialist) are the recommended drugs to avoid mental obsessions.
- These keep the chemicals that cause them at the right levels. You start with low doses, which are gradually increased over time.
As we see, everything goes under proper medical supervision locate and attack the root of the ailment. Try to reduce the stress caused by compulsive actions and help the patient socialize. This ensures their reintegration into society.
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