Davis Chapter 1: Origins of Obsession

In this chapter Davis explains the evolution of the term obsession. According to Davis, “how the religious explanation of obsessive behavior to the medical one involves a set of transformation”. At the very beginning the term obsession was used to describe demonic possession, in this case the devil will besieged the person, but will not have the control of the soul. The demonic idea of the obsession came to the end in the eighteenth century when the nervous system appeared in people’s lives.  This chapter also gives a brief explanation of the categories that precede the diagnosis of obsession. Before the eighteenth century mental illnesses were limited into three categories, the lunacy, melancholy, and idiocy. In the eighteenth century news kind of mental diseases were categorized, so the hysteria, hypochondria, vapors, and spleen were well known mental conditions at that time.  It is fascinating learn about how the term obsession has changed over the time. This chapter reaffirms the fact that OCD has been around for long time and will appear for many years more in our lives.