A transformation obsession is a lesser known symptom and manifestation of

obsessive compulsive disorder Obsession may refer to: Psychology * Celebrity worship syndrome, obsessive addictive disorder to a celebrity's personal and professional life * Fixation (psychology), a persistent attachment to an object or idea * Idée fixe (psychology), a preo ...

(OCD). A person with a transformation obsession fears transforming into someone or something else. Losing one's self or taking on undesired characteristics brings about anxiety and fear.

Ritual A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, b ...

s such as counting, blinking, checking, hand washing, and others may eliminate the anxiety when they are done in a way which "feels right". Misdiagnosis is also frequent, which can lead to inappropriate treatments. In some cases,

cognitive behavioral therapy Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psycho-social intervention that aims to reduce symptoms of various mental health conditions, primarily depression and anxiety disorders. CBT focuses on challenging and changing cognitive distortions (suc ...

can be beneficial, which allows patients to develop strategies to counteract these obsessions, and thus make clinical progress. S. Rachman was the first to describe this phenomenon in his 2006 book called "Fear of Contamination."

References

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External links

Article
on transformation obsession Anxiety disorders