There are some obsessions that become more intense during Ramadan as worship intensifies and religious sensitivities increase.
Especially religious obsessions. Such as washing over and over again, ablution, repeating prayers and not feeling comfortable with the prayers... Reminding that obsession, which negatively affects one's life and relationships, is a disease, experts emphasize the importance of early treatment.
Üsküdar University NP Feneryolu Polyclinic Psychiatry Specialist Emre Tolun Arıcı pointed out that with the intensification of obsession during Ramadan, situations such as distress and anxiety can have negative effects on family and social life.
Stating that obsession disease called Obsessive - Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can be triggered in Ramadan, which is a special month for Muslims, especially because people become more sensitive about religious worship, Emre Tolun Arıcı said, "Obsessions (obsessions) can have quite different contents. Thoughts and worries that come to the person's mind involuntarily are repeated and may be uncomfortable for the person. These thoughts can be repeatedly washing, showering and washing hands because they are not sure of cleanliness, obsessions with sexual content, counting continuously internally or out loud while doing routine tasks, constantly organizing things in a certain way, order, symmetry, the need for perfection. There are also religious obsessions such as repeating sentences and prayers, not feeling comfortable with the prayers, performing ablutions over and over again. Especially in people who try to follow religious rules or in religious societies, these obsessions increase."
Stating that the content of religious obsessions can be very diverse, Arıcı noted the following: "In general, religious obsessions include questioning the existence and non-existence of God. Due to this questioning, the person can obsess about various thoughts such as whether I have left religion or whether I have sinned. In particular, people may worry about whether I prayed correctly, whether I had a good ablution or whether my ablution was broken, whether I recited my prayers completely. In the face of situations such as thinking inappropriate things, they may be restless with stress and fears such as whether my fast is broken."
OBSESSIONS CAUSE DISTRESS AND ANXIETY
Stating that obsessions cause distress and guilt and can be very challenging for the person from time to time, Psychiatry Specialist Arıcı said that people are afraid to share such situations with others and therefore it takes time to understand.
Stating that obsessions cause distress, fear, anxiety and stress, Emre Tolun Arıcı noted that for this reason, the other feature of the disease called Compulsion, which is repetitive, reveals a number of behaviors aimed at relaxation.
NEGATIVELY AFFECTS SOCIAL LIFE
Stating that these obsessions negatively affect the social relations of the person, Arıcı said
"This religious obsession can cause intense feelings of guilt in people. Although they mostly know that these are absurd thoughts; thoughts such as I am not faithful enough and I am a sinner by thinking these thoughts can intensify. In addition, prayers that are repeatedly prayed over and over again and prayers that are prayed for hours keep the person so busy that it negatively affects family, work and social life, and all these efforts cannot fully relax the person. For this reason, there are patients who cannot go to the mosque, pray or fast."
PEOPLE WITH RELIGIOUS OBSESSION MAY EXPERIENCE INTENSE FEELINGS OF GUILT
Psychiatry Specialist Emre Tolun Arıcı reminded that obsessions can be triggered and felt more intensely during Ramadan, when prayers become more frequent, and said, "Obsessions are triggered and become more intense during Ramadan. In order not to make mistakes in worship, the person's overly sensitive and anxious behavior while going to the mosque, praying and praying is an impressive factor in the increase of obsessions. When obsessive thoughts occur again, the person needs to repeat this obsession immediately. The repetition and intensification of obsessions creates a very compelling pressure along with distress and guilt in the person. These people are worried about sharing such thoughts and it takes time to understand that it is a disease."
RELIGIOUS OBSESSIONS CAN BE TREATED
Stating that religious obsessions, a type of Obsessive - Compulsive (OCD) disorder, can be treated, Emre Tolun Arıcı concluded his words as follows:
"In some cases, patients apply to clinics due to depression due to obsessions. There are various treatment methods such as drug therapies, cognitive behavioral therapies, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), dynamic oriented therapies. Families also play an important role in the treatment of obsessions. If obsessions are not recognized, the treatment process may be prolonged and the OCD cycle may steal hours from the person's day and prevent them from doing their daily work. Early diagnosis always reduces the treatment process. Accepting that this is a disease, not criticizing and blaming the person is very important in the treatment process. When it is realized that it is an obsession and it starts to cause discomfort, it should be treated before it intensifies."
