Suppression of the Obsession

The thoughts. The ideas. The persistent preoccupation of the desire and feelings that may eventually drive you mad.

It can be similar to Addiction but Addiction is leaned towards the physicality or the enslavement of one person to a particular habit. Psychologically, it can be an Obsession if your mind is habitually dominated by these desires.

So is it bad to be overruled by an Obsession?

For me, an Obsession can either be good or bad. We can’t deny that we had at least one in our life, a lingering impulse that we might have had that urge to actually put these ideas into action due to that obsessive state. What we want to do is to suppress the Obsessions that may have severe consequences in the end. Anything or any thought for that matter can be an Obsession. If you are consciously, constantly thinking about it, and cannot totally let go, and either it already caused you anxiety or satisfaction, you may call it an Obsession.

Let’s try to analyze a “good” Obsession.

A creative thinker. A strategist. One who devotes so much time in “thinking out of the box” to provide solutions or breakthrough mechanisms for the continuous improvement of the company. Day and night he/she would brainstorm on ideas and paradigms, countless hours, sleepless nights, all because there is that passion and desire to achieve perfection of the company’s framework. Sounds good, right? But if you factor in an individual who has a very strong value for his family, time can be of an issue. Your Obsession may drive you farther away from your family. Does it sound good now?

Now let’s try to delve into the world of a “bad” Obsession. Do I dare say, Love?

Well, what simpler and yet universally complex example is there. The Obsession of love is like entering a cave of wolves with sheep’s clothing. It will be an emotional and mental massacre for you if you don’t suppress it. For me, there are “stages” wherein you can actually hold off on these desires so as not for it to evolve into an Obsession;

Infatuation.
Attraction.
Adoration.

Infatuation. We all experienced that foolish love-at-first-sight feeling. And more often than not, this feeling does not last. You think about it for a couple of days or weeks, but then your feelings move on. So no harm really. But then….

Attraction. It's like a magnet, you  are drawn closer and closer to the opposite sex. You now do things to please, to captivate and eventually sweep them off their feet and fall into your arms. But does it stop there, how do you sustain it, will it be enough, or do you go overboard and...

Adoration. You are totally devoted and put him/her on a pedestal, worshipping them as if they are Gods or Goddesses. The expression of you deep and undying love, and the things you do that are way out of the ordinary just to prove that there can be no other that can provide such. Before you know it...

Obsession. Where extreme sacrifices are made with total disregard of the repercussions it may bring, for as long as you keep coming up with thoughts and ideas on how to ensure that he/she remains with you forever.

So, be prudent, supress it.

"Cure for an Obsession, get another one."

- Mason Cooley