Obsession

In everyday speech "obsessed" means very keen. In medicine an obsession is the opposite of something wanted: a repeated intrusive thoughtIntrusive thoughtsUnwanted thoughts, images or urges that pop into the mind uninvited, often disturbing ones. Almost everyone has them; they become a problem only when they cause great distress and take over.Read the full definition, image or urge that the person finds upsetting and tries to resist.

Common themes

• Contamination — dirt, germs, or ritual impurity (najasat)
• Harm — fear of causing an accident or hurting someone
• Doubt — whether the door is locked, the gas is off, or wudu was done properly
• Religious or moral fear — blasphemous thoughts, fear of having sinned
• Order and symmetry — things feeling "not right"

Obsessions usually drive compulsionsCompulsionA repeated action or mental ritual a person feels driven to do to ease the anxiety of an obsession, such as washing, checking or repeating prayers. The relief is brief, so the urge returns.Read the full definition, which bring brief relief and keep the cycle turning. Reassurance — from family, or from a religious scholar about repeated doubts — helps for a moment but tends to feed the cycle.

OCDObsessive-compulsive disorderA condition in which unwanted, distressing thoughts keep returning and the person feels driven to repeat actions or mental rituals to ease the distress.Read the full definition is treated with CBTCognitive behavioural therapyA structured, time-limited talking therapy that helps you notice and change the thoughts and behaviours that keep a problem going. It is a first-line treatment for depression and most anxiety problems.Read the full definition that includes exposureExposure therapyA therapy in which you face feared situations, objects, sensations or memories gradually and safely until the fear fades. It is the core treatment for phobias and part of therapy for OCD, panic and PTSD.Read the full definition and response prevention, or an SSRISSRISelective serotonin reuptake inhibitor: the most commonly prescribed type of antidepressant, used for depression and many anxiety conditions. Examples are sertraline, fluoxetine, escitalopram, citalopram and paroxetine.Read the full definition, or both. Treatment does not conflict with faith; many religious people find it frees them to practise it more peacefully.