An obsession is defined as which of the following?

• A. A persistent, unwanted thought or idea that keeps recurring
• B. A sudden sense of fear with no trigger
• C. A ritualistic behavior performed to relieve anxiety
• D. A prolonged period of extremely low mood

Answer: (A)

Obsessions are intrusive, persistent thoughts, images, or urges that recur despite the person’s efforts to ignore them. They’re unwanted and cause distress, anxiety, or guilt, and the person often recognizes them as irrational yet can’t easily stop them. This fits the idea of a persistent, unwanted thought or idea that keeps recurring. The other options describe different phenomena: a sudden fear with no trigger points to a panic-like episode rather than an intrusive thought; a ritualistic behavior performed to relieve anxiety is a compulsion, not the thought itself; a prolonged period of extremely low mood signals depression rather than obsessive thoughts.