Healthy vs Unhealthy Obsessions

What is the first thought that comes into your head when you hear the word obsession?

Do you have an image of someone that is obsessed with something? Or even someone with OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder)?

What if I told you that the most successful people on this planet are actually obsessed? Obsessed with becoming successful. Obsessed with being the best they can be and refusing to stop or slow down.

Obsession is just a passion that has taken over everything, right?

Well in a way, yes, but we also have to make sure that the obsession remains healthy and doesn't cross the fine line and become unhealthy.

Let's take a look into where that line is:

You Feel Panic And Guilt if you don't do it. A healthy obsession is when you want to do something and you will always make time for it, no matter what. Late nights, early morning if you have to or make certain sacrifices to achieve it. Unhealthy is when it doesn't happen for whatever reason and you feel panic and/or guilt about it.

You Radically Restrict Your Life. I am not talking just about making better choices in life such as choosing a different meal at dinner so you stay on your diet for example. It is when you say no to actually going for dinner as you know that panic and guilt will set in. You focus only on the short term, not the long term.

You Experience Paranoia. Obsession can greatly affect your mental health. You can become so focused on something that you close your mind off to many others things that allow balance into your life.

You keep pushing even when it is making you unwell. Our bodies are great indicators of when something is good or bad for us. Learning to listen is a great way of understanding the difference between healthy and unhealthy. Obsessions can cause burnout. Understand your warning signs and learn to take a break when you need to.

You are comparing yourself to others. Healthy obsession is emulating what others have down before you. Unhealthy becomes comparison and competition.

Your emotions change. Emotional changes happen all the time. What triggers us changes too when we learn to react differently. But there are emotions that can signal unhealthy obsessions such as being overly defensive when challenged about our obsessions.

Ultimately, like many things to more from great to exceptional takes exceptional actions. It's about pushing the boundaries and limitations of what we are capable of and keeping it there for as long as it is healthy. It is all too easy when looking to increase our level of passion to that of an obsession for it to become unhealthy.

Know the signs are pull back when needed.