Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Tarhan explained the effects of ‘excessive and negative attachment’ to animals to Anadolu Agency reporter Ömer Faruk Madanoğlu. Stating that it is inherent in human nature to expect unconditional love, Tarhan emphasized that people receive unconditional love more easily from animals. Tarhan said that individuals exhibiting excessive and negative attachment may develop disorders such as avoidance of human relationships, fear of loss, depression, anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and social phobia.
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated in a declaration to an AA reporter that people are prone to developing psychologically trustworthy relationships, adding that individuals who experience a loss of trust in human relationships tend to withdraw from their social circles and turn to animals, and that this situation can eventually turn into an unhealthy form of attachment if it becomes excessive.
Tarhan said, “If a person creates a polarization, thinking ‘loving animals is good, loving humans is bad,’ they tend to avoid and hate people and behave excessively in their love for animals. The reactions of individuals who act excessively can also be disproportionate.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that individuals exhibiting ‘excessive and negative attachment’ to animals may develop disorders such as avoidance of human relationships, fear of loss, depression, anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and social phobia.
Tarhan stated that it is inherent in human nature to expect unconditional love, emphasizing that people receive unconditional love more easily from animals.
Tarhan pointed out that having a cat or dog as an object of affection is considered healthy as long as it does not disconnect one from other socializations in life, but noted that sometimes people can form negative attachments as a result of wounds sustained in relationships.
Tarhan explained that in negative attachment, when some individuals' trust in people diminishes, they may seek a being to trust, an relationship that will “completely obey them,” and continued:
“They become attached to beings that can fully obey them and with whom they can establish a kind of master-slave relationship. The reason for this is that animals do not demand too much from them and it is easy for ego gratification. Some people who have not been able to solve their social problems create a kind of defense mechanism by excessively attaching to animals to sustain themselves. This is actually an escape mechanism from trauma, from fear. This type of attachment to animals is negative and unhealthy.”
Tarhan stated that individuals experiencing complete social isolation can sometimes turn animals into an “obsessive object of affection,” adding, “People who see their negative excessive attachment to animals as a bond of love experience narcissistic gratification. That is, the fear of losing the being in which they have invested for their ego gratification begins. Due to the fear of loss, we encounter severe cases of depression when they lose their dog or the being in which they have invested their affection. We see that the patient falls into such a deep depression that they cannot get out of bed.”
Tarhan also explained that if a person develops the understanding that ‘loving animals is good, loving humans is bad,’ it will create a polarization. He said, “If they create a polarization, they tend to avoid and hate people and behave excessively in their love for animals. The emotional reactions of individuals who act excessively can also be disproportionate.”
Tarhan, stating that a thought process like ‘Let people die, not animals’ is irrational and that these individuals instrumentalize animals to ‘expose’ themselves, commented, “This thought can generally be explained by oppositional defiant disorder. People who want to expose themselves use social media a lot. Some people satisfy their egos by constantly displaying their relationships with animals. Sharing good examples related to animals is one thing, instrumentalizing animals to satisfy one's ego is another.”