How to stop being an obsessive person

We all know people who think too much, to the point that they can have problems in their daily lives because of it. These are people who It gives many thoughts to the same topic. As a result, they experience anxiety, extreme worry, and stress. If this occurs on a regular basis, we would be talking about an obsessive person.

In today’s article we will see what are the causes that lead a person to enter this type of vicious circles, as well as some of the latest theories in this regard.

Why do obsessions occur?

Cognitive theories on anxiety disorders consider that deficits in information processing constitute one of the most important factors for the origin and maintenance of this type of disorder (Beck, Emery & Greenberg, 1985). However, interest in the cognitive aspects of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is recentwith very few studies carried out on the processing of emotional information of the obsessive person.

The most recent research has shown that obsessive people present deficits in tasks designed to measure cognitive distortions and biases (Steketee, Frost, Rhéaume, & Wilhelm, 2001). Studies carried out on the processing of emotionally relevant information indicate that The obsessive person may have greater sensitivity to stimuli that are related to their fears.

The obsessive person enters a vicious circle when their emotional reactionscaused by their thoughts about their fears, They are similar to those that occur when faced with real stimuli. Obsessions are defined by recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced at some point as intrusive and inappropriate, and cause significant anxiety or distress.

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Thoughts, impulses or images are not reduced to simple excessive worries about real-life problems, but go much deeper. Person You try to ignore or suppress these thoughts, impulses or images, or you try to neutralize them through other thoughts or actions.

The objective of these acts or behaviors is the prevention or reduction of the discomfort of some negative event or situation. However, these behaviors or mental operations are either not realistically connected with what they seek to neutralize or prevent, or are clearly excessive.

“Passion is a positive obsession. Obsession is a negative passion.”

Obsessions, the anxiety of the 21st century

In recent editions, the American Psychological Association (APA) has included Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This is due to its disabling properties, as well as its high incidence in the population in recent times.

Those affected by this disease feel imprisoned by it, repeating for hours, in the most extreme cases, a specific action without having any type of control over their actions. Besides, These people are more prone to depression and other psychological disorders (such as hypochondria or phobias), as a direct consequence of the anxiety produced by OCD.

According to experts, OCDs can be classified into many categories, the most important being the following:

Cleaning or obsession with hygiene.Check, insecurity and constant checking regarding domestic situations. Order, search for symmetry and precision.

However, There are many other types of obsessions, some being typical of modern society such as addiction to social networks. Their rise has turned them into another form of obsession, where the same parameters and compulsions of traditional obsessions are repeated.

Regarding obsessions in our love life, the same patterns of thoughts, ideas and behaviors are also repeated; with the peculiarity in this case that what you want to control is another person instead of an object. In some cases, The uncontrollable desire to be with someone becomes an obsession so strong that we end up confusing it with love.

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This type of obsession makes us act compulsively to achieve what we want, which is to be with that person. But paradoxically, what happens is that With these obsessive behaviors we end up permanently alienating the person we love.

“Obsession implies that love becomes insatiable in the relationship. One of the members of the couple is never satisfied with their relationship, he cannot do anything without his partner, and demonstrates great dependence.”

-Walter Riso-

Treatments to stop being an obsessive person

The treatment to eliminate obsessions is based on the modification of erroneous beliefs that the obsessive person has about the intrusions of their fears. In this way, we try to reduce the anxiety generated by thoughts.

At the same time, in this type of treatment also attempts are made to eradicate the compulsions that are involved in maintaining responsibility beliefs (Salkovskis, Richards and Forrester, 2000). The central idea of cognitive-behavioral treatment is that emotional and behavioral responses are nuanced and strongly influenced by cognitions and perceptions.

The main objective of this behavioral approach is encourage the obsessive person to develop specific behavioral patterns that lead to changes in the way the patient sees himself and the external world. To do this, emphasis will have to be placed on changing both the mental processes and thoughts and the person’s usual way of behaving.

“Obsessive thoughts are the fuel that feeds the fire of anger, a fire that can only be extinguished by looking at things from a different point of view.”

-Daniel Goleman-

Bibliography

Beck, A.T., Emery, G., & Greenberg, R.L. (1985). Anxiety disorders and phobias: a cognitive approach. Basic, New York.

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Casado Martín, Y. (2008). Emotional processing in people with obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

Salkovskis, P.M., Wroe, A.L., Gledhill, A., Morrison, N., Forrester, E., Richards, C., & Thorpe, S. (2000). Attitudes of responsibility and interpretations are characteristics of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Behavior Research and Therapy, 38 (4), 347-372.

Steketee, G., Frost, R.O., Rhéaume, J., & Wilhelm, S. (2001). Theory and practice of cognitive therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Obsessive disorders.

Vallejo Pareja, M. Á. (2001). Effective psychological treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Psychothema, 13(3).