Psychology of obsession

An obsession is a persistent, unwanted thought or idea that keeps recurring. For example, double-check that the iron is unplugged or your car is locked but if people do it twenty times a day, it may be a psychical disorder.

                      At its worst, obsession is like an iron mask that permits people to gaze in only one direction at one thing. People may become obsessed with a person, a place, a goal, a subject - but obsession amounts to the same thing in all cases: addiction. When an obsession happens, a person feels uncomfortable, anxious and the need to neutralize or put right such obsession.

At first, like all addictions, obsession is intoxicating. Obsession makes people feel powerful, capable, and purposeful. But also like all addictions, with time obsession unbalances person. They often begin to neglect parts of their lives that they shouldn't. If allowed to become too consuming, obsession causes them to devalue important dimensions of their lives and tolerate their atrophy and even their collapse. But even if their lives remain in balance, if the object of their obsession is taken away from them they find themselves devastated and often convinced they've lost their last chance at happiness.

Further, we have to acknowledge that it's hard, if not often impossible, to achieve something great without being just a little bit obsessed with it. In fact, when properly harnessed, the increased energy, drive, determination, and resiliency obsession brings can be highly adaptive. Obsession, when made to serve us, can bring out our most capable selves, motivating us to find the creativity and ingenuity to solve incredibly difficult problems. Obsession, in short, can lead us to greatness.

In conclusion, people who have obsession should seek to control it. People can make their obsessions work for them rather than work them over. And they can learn to let them go when the time comes. But the most important thing is to notice them and try to find the cure in time, before it becomes a serious addiction.

References:

Robert S. Feldman. Understanding Psychology. 9th Edition. McGraw- Hill, Inc. 2009.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-in-world/201004/obsession 

http://pierre-khazen-psy.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2007-09-18T00:12:00-07:00&max-results=2&start=2&by-date=false 

 Picture:

http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/o/obsession.asp