The concept of obsession is to be a fixed, permanent, constant idea that transforms or determines, positively or not, a person's personality and actions.

What is obsession

When obsessions are accompanied by a feeling of fear, they develop in a pathological way, thus initiating what is known as obsessional neurosis. To exemplify, we can cite a case in which the obsession of one individual for another is so strong and so serious that he tries to get closer to his object of obsession at any cost, buying a house next to the house of his obsessed one.

In order to understand the origin of this term, I will now discuss its etymology. Obsessed originates from the Latin (obcaecare) and means blindness, what justifies the use of this term is the fact that the obsessed individual not being able to clearly assess their behavior and their reality. The word obsession, on the other hand, comes from the Latin word obsedere, which means the act of surrounding something or someone.

For Freud the obsession represented a substitute for an incompatible sexual idea. He understood that in obsessions the present affect was characterized as homeless and that could translate into sexual terms.

How does it arise and what is obsession?

There are strands that believe obsession is the result of genetics or biological and environmental causes. There are studies that indicate it is the result of brain alterations or even some genetic predisposition that influences the cases of compulsion.

Obsessive behavior can be a symptom of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), an example is when a person cannot leave the house without first checking several times that the door is locked properly, or when he counts his steps until he reaches his destination, or even when you can't step over traffic lanes or sidewalk grout.

This behavior is sometimes seen as an improper attitude by those who do not understand it. Obsession can occur as a function of a job or an activity, and not just from one individual to another.

Treatments for Compulsion

The most effective treatments for OCD are medicines that are used for treating depression and have been found to be effective for OCD. Another effective treatment is CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy) which includes exercises in exposure and refraining from performing the rituals.

Can you help a person with OCD? It is always possible to help and even relieve the symptoms of OCD, but the person living with OCD should avoid blaming the person for the OCD, encourage this person to seek professional help and technique (with a doctor or psychologist or psychoanalyst) and especially has to help the person with OCD feel less guilty about their symptoms.

Spiritist view on what is obsession

For the more spiritualized, who believe in the spiritist fundamentals, obsession consists of a negative intervention of one spirit over another. When this intervention occurs, spiritual treatments are offered (as an example, prayer sessions) where the spirit that obsesses the incarnate should be treated and helped to let your object of obsession go on with its life without interfering, without bringing disequilibrium.

This treatment is a way to make the obsessor understand that he should seek to understand the reasons for having this obsession and then seek help to stop obsessing and follow its path of evolution.

Dictionary meaning of obsession

As I always like to do, I bring here the literal meaning of the word obsession, according to the Oxford Languages dictionary: obsession, feminine noun 1. irresistible motivation to perform an irrational act; compulsion. 2. exaggerated attachment to a feeling or an unreasonable idea.

What is Love Obsession

This obsession is translated as being obsessive behavior toward another person, whether they are in a relationship or not. The obsessor tends to direct all aspects of his or her life toward the person of interest.

At this moment the obsessor "forgets". their own interests and social interaction becomes scarce or even disappears.

When love rejection or disillusionment occurs, the obsessor, by not accepting it, becomes a persecutor, always fixing his attention and emotions on the "beloved" person.

How to get rid of an obsession?

Obsession has no cure, but there are some actions that can help ease the symptoms:

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The patient should try to understand what the triggers are for the obsessive thoughts to arise;

2. write down the thoughts as they occur, can help you discover the branches;

3) The moment you realize that you are starting an obsessive thought, the patient must try to change your focus, such as starting a physical activity that requires concentration;

4. the patient should try to visualize something that indicates that should stop your thoughts, such as a "Stop" sign.

Conclusion

As we can identify from the above-mentioned tips, the action of shifting the focus of the obsessive thoughts and bringing in some physical activity at the moment of initiating them should help lessen, ease the symptoms.

As it is not a simple and easy process to deal with, the individual who has some kind of obsession should seek professional help and At no time should you feel guilty about your symptoms, After all, the very "burden" of finding oneself in the midst of a dysfunction is already too heavy and should not be borne alone.

There are more and more effective ways of dealing with obsessive disorders, and it is the right of every human being to get help and treatment in order to go on with life as lightly as possible.

This article about what is obsession was written by Adriana Gobbi ([email protected]) - Pedagogue, majoring in Clinical Psychoanalysis.