Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: "Everyone has misgivings, the point is not to lose control"

Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan evaluated the misgiving as a concept in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and stated that it can happen to anyone. Emphasizing that the important thing is to manage it, Tarhan gave important warnings so that one’s misgivings does not turn into a disorder.

President of Üsküdar University, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, who drew attention to the issue of misgiving mostly used in religious terminology, said that "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) includes ecstasy. Religiously, it is misgiving, but other than that, it is anxieties, delusion, and it is obsession... The word obsession left its mark more."

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that misgiving is defined as a malicious emotion and continued as follows:

"In obsession, something gets stuck in one's mind, and one cannot get rid of it. Instead of thinking for a minute, one thinks it for 10 minutes or for 15 minutes. What a person would be upset at the intensity level of one, that person is upset at the intensity level of 10. This so-called misgiving is a clinical condition. However, what is referred to in religious literature as misgiving is more of a whispering of the devil."

Not violating boundaries in human relations

Stating that confusing the real with the non-existent is called misgiving, Prof. Tarhan stated the following remarks:

"Where does the obsession happen in the working mechanism of our brain? When a wrong thought comes to mind, when a ridiculous thought comes that we should not do, that does not fit our basic personality and values, it is a skill to say no to those malicious feelings within us in such situations. Setting limits on ourselves, our behavior, not harming others is skill. It needs to be learned. Kids do not know that.

Just as you live in an apartment, there are boundaries with neighbors, and there are also boundaries in human relations. It is necessary not to violate the boundaries in human relations. It is like breaking into one’s house, gossiping about them, lying, or doing evil to them. A person is not responsible for malignant emotions coming into them, but one is responsible for taking action about it."

We decide on the benevolent and malicious feelings that have and then act

Emphasizing the importance of regulating emotions, Prof. Tarhan stated the following remarks:

"Obsession disrupts the mental balance here. Some have tick. Their conversations are disfluent. There is stuttering. Whenever they move their shoulders, they speak fluently. What does lifting your shoulder do? It puts an impulse into the circuit in the brain and completes that circuit. Even in thoughts, when a person is doing the thoughts they have learned, when something happens that disrupts them, the mind will immediately intervene and say do not do it. A person will make an analysis, and as a result of the analysis, they will decide on the action.

In other words, benevolent and malicious feelings go through our mind. Thoughts and emotions merge. One commands the forebrain. Tell the forebrain to do – do not, appropriate – not appropriate, valid – not valid, real – not real, safe – not safe... We decide and then act. When this mechanism is disrupted, we call it an obsession in the brain."

Why is it important to be able to manage the misgiving?

Pointing out that there is a sense of wisdom in everyone, Prof. Tarhan said that "There is a sense of misgiving even in the people we call the most spiritual or saints. However, a person is now able to manage the misgiving, and one does not lose control." Noting that people can be under the influence of negative emotions and remain under the influence of misgivings, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said that "In fact, life is a school. We are going to meet good things and bad things in this school. However, we will not forget our main goal. When we come into the world, we will be as if we have come to a school, and when life is over, we will act with the thought that we will graduate from this school and transition to a better life. When a person who has such a purpose has misgivings, they do not turn a misgiving into a disorder."

Roads in decision-making are like highways

Noting that when the brains of obsessive people are examined, it is seen that the signal flow in the decision mechanisms is disrupted, Tarhan said that "Normally, if the roads in a person's brain are like paths, the roads in the full decision-making mechanism of these people are like highways. It improves so much... Molecules related to thought management, such as happiness molecules, decision-making, serotonin, dopamine, energy, are not enough. What the brain produces is not enough."

When the focus of attention is changed, the person starts to think healthily after a while

Noting that the brain expands the pathways in that region in non-essential subjects, Prof. Tarhan said:

"The same thing happens with addiction. In substance users, there are similar expansions in the reward-punishment system in the brain. In this case, suggestion is no longer helpful. In this case, psychiatric treatment is required. Obviously, it is necessary to treat biological deterioration.

Especially in the last 15-20 years, the contributions of neuroscience have increased. There is a cause and effect relationship related to the functioning of the human brain. The person is no longer able to receive therapy. This person cannot. Their brain produces it automatically. She takes her child in her arms, goes to the window and says, 'What if I throw it away?'

There is also a traffic of information in our brains. It happens in the form of a stream of chemical signals. These people block a region with the information traffic in their brains. It is getting blocked there. If we change the focus of attention, after a while it slowly dissipates on its own. In other words, in such cases, the person starts to think healthily after a while."

People with a high sense of responsibility are prone to OCD

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that some obsessions can also be beneficial, and noted that perfectionists can achieve great success if they act in accordance with their purpose.

Stating that people with a high sense of responsibility are prone to OCD, Prof. Tarhan stated that "Daily obsessions such as hand washing obsession are very easy to solve if they are in the initial state. One can handle it on their own.”

Stating that situations such as obsession with cleanliness will no longer improve and that medical treatment is required, Tarhan concluded his remarks as follows:

"I mean, a person sits on the toilet for hours, 8 hours. For a day and a half, they stay in the bathroom with their hands in the air, go and wash them again. The top of their hand is bruised, and they even come out of the bathroom at home and put socks on their hand and open the doors.

Clinical case... Even these are improving. Generally, these people are given optimum treatment. I have seen a lot of people who cannot leave the house, who wash everything with bleach, who give their children a full bath when they come home."

 

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)