Obsessions can grow wild in a fertile mind that provides them with thoughts and actions that are focused especially to keep them alive. They grow like weeds, and are difficult to kill if you are not careful to get to the root of them when you decide to get rid of them. Most obsessions don’t start out being the monsters that they end up becoming; they usually start out as a simple concern that morphs way out of proportion.
Any person can become obsessed with a thought or an idea, but it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes days of very focused and sustained concentration around a specific thought or fear for it to start taking over and pushing reason and rational out of range.
Some people mistake being distracted by something, as being obsessed with it. It is true that if you let something distract you long enough, you are in danger of becoming obsessed with it. But simply being distracted by something that is based in reality, and actually needs your attention, is normal. Still, you should be careful not to let anything distract you to the point that you find yourself neglecting other areas in your life that are important as well.
Once you have found that you have crossed the line into obsession, time can be your biggest ally, or your worst enemy. The quicker you take your attention off of what you are obsessed with, the easier it will be for you to keep it off. If you have let it get to the point, that you have already let your obsession become a regular part of your life, for some time, be ready and willing to take drastic measures to rid yourself of this pattern of thought. If you do not take it seriously and let it continue to gain power over you, it can take over everything you do.
Normal thoughts and obsessive thoughts differ in many ways: Obsessive thoughts take on a snow ball effect. They start as one regular thought of someone or something and lead to irrational or delusional thoughts that become impossible to ignore. Obsessive thoughts also tend to lead the person who is having them to act out on their thoughts in a negative way. Another indication that you have become obsessed with something is if it starts to be the motivation for everything you do.
The more you cater to these destructive thoughts, the more momentum they gain. By entertaining them or the things that they make you want to do, you are feeding them. If you keep feeding them, they will grow. To get rid of them, you will have to starve them. This process can be very uncomfortable at first because your obsession has become a big part of your thought process; being without these thoughts can leave you feeling a little lost in the beginning. As you slowly allow other things to occupy your mind, you will notice feeling a lot less anxious and more peaceful. If you simply cannot find your way out of the maze of your obsession it may be a good idea to talk to somebody that can help you. Obsession can steal your sense of well being, and if allowed to go on, eventually make it hard for you to discern reality from fantasy.
