Fixation?

[Vinayaka]

When does a keen interest in something turn into a fixation, and then become unhealthy mentally for the individual? Take a sports fan, as an example. Most keen fans can go to a game, cheer loud and proud, enjoy themselves, sit beside fans of the other team and give friendly jabs. Then there are those who lose sleep the day before, the day after, and send death threats to a player who made a mistake, or a referee who they figure made a bad call.

In religion, there are those who can drop it and go off to do something else, they can have a beer a year, and be rather religious by most standards, yet live some kind of productive life outside of religion.

Political agendas, social agendas, have the same sets of people ... keenly interested, and fixated.

Thoughts?

 

[JustGeorge]

I would say when it(whatever it may be) goes from adding to your life to taking away from it.

 

[Vinayaka]

I would say when it(whatever it may be) goes from adding to your life to taking away from it.

Thank you for your keen insight. I've caught myself a couple of times in life, and I also wonder about techniques for catching yourself. Boss said something to me once, and one other time I was losing sleep. I also believe that some people are more predisposed to suffering from the malady, and some are less likely to see it. When you observe it in someone else, do you let it be, or do you say something?

 

[SigurdReginson]

I would say when it(whatever it may be) goes from adding to your life to taking away from it.

This.

Poetic and insightful.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

When does a keen interest in something turn into a fixation, and then become unhealthy mentally for the individual? Take a sports fan, as an example. Most keen fans can go to a game, cheer loud and proud, enjoy themselves, sit beside fans of the other team and give friendly jabs. Then there are those who lose sleep the day before, the day after, and send death threats to a player who made a mistake, or a referee who they figure made a bad call.

In religion, there are those who can drop it and go off to do something else, they can have a beer a year, and be rather religious by most standards, yet live some kind of productive life outside of religion.

Political agendas, social agendas, have the same sets of people ... keenly interested, and fixated.

Thoughts?

From a mental health point of view, if it is "causing harm to self, causing harm to others, or prevents one from taking care of themselves in a healthy manner," then it is addictive and no longer a keen interest (or even a borderline obsession).

Other than that, it depends on the person. Maybe some people have more predisposition to develop addiction than others.

 

[JustGeorge]

Thank you for your keen insight. I've caught myself a couple of times in life, and I also wonder about techniques for catching yourself. Boss said something to me once, and one other time I was losing sleep. I also believe that some people are more predisposed to suffering from the malady, and some are less likely to see it. When you observe it in someone else, do you let it be, or do you say something?

I'd say one becomes 'unbalanced'. When the thought of the topic brings up anxiety(even if it comes with a desire to spring to action at its cause), one becomes intolerant of others, prone to depression, or physically off kilter(like losing sleep, or undereating/overeating), its likely somethings gone from an interest to becoming all consuming.

Whether you say something to someone else would probably depend on your relationship with them, and your overall courage. Sometimes it also depends on whether or not you'll be heard(if they won't listen, why bother sometimes). You might not tell your neighbor with the 200 political stickers on their car that this is becoming unhealthy, but you might tell your sister.