Compulsions, fixations, obsessions, addictions. While a particular affinity for certain things is part of human nature and sometimes even excessive focus on certain things is just a personality thing,an individual quirk or a phase of life, there are some unique behaviors that can indicate one may be at risk for addiction or obsessive-compulsive type disorders. If these behaviors, or signs and symptoms, are consistently present, professional help or medical treatment could be necessary, but that is not always the case. As long as there is acute awareness that the problem exists and a search for successful ways of coping with them is embarked upon, the person in such circumstances could be well on the way to living a happy, comfortable life amongst family and good friends.
One of the most well-known compulsive problems is with alcohol, tobacco or recreational drugs. If one finds themselves excessively using such substances, despite the facts that they are harmful to the body and emotional health, a compulsion needing help could very well be present. When such destructive things are so much a part of life that a person is frustrated, anxious or does not feel complete without them, that is indicative of compulsive,even addictive, behavior that needs professional intervention.
Workaholic-ism is another well known and very real compulsive problem for many people in our society today. If you are not happy unless you’re working at something ‘productive’–never recreational things– the chances are good you are too compulsive about work in and of itself. Not just working hard or overtime, but working until the body literally gives out by falling asleep or refuses to function further is a compulsion needing addressing before harm is done.
If when out shopping, the insistent desire to buy something, anything at all, is a compulsive red flag. Shopping for a purpose or general enjoyment is not typically a problem, but the ‘need’ to purchase things and a true complete lack of willpower while shopping is definitely a problem and can lead to serious financial problems for most people.
Gambling for fun can be a recreational activity that is enjoyed and is harmless as long as when the money is gone, the game is over. It is when enjoyable gambling consistently leads to losing and creating debt that it becomes a compulsion that leads to addiction.
Compulsive lying is a problem for some people. These victims find themselves concocting untrue stories and/or events that slip out of their mouths effortlessly. So often compulsive liars do not even realize they are not telling the truth, it becomes almost reflex-like with zero thought for possible consequences.
Eating until the body is beyond physically sick is a definite sign of compulsive behavior. The food addict will continue to eat long after a meal is completely finished and after the stomach is full, all the way until they make themselves sick. This is not a case of ‘that pie is so good I must have more’ but a case of finishing off the pie, the cake and the chicken until all the food is gone or the person is extremely sick and cannot eat anymore for that moment.
Yet another thing that often becomes a compulsion that can cause problems for some is the act of complusive checking and rechecking things. Lights, keys, stoves, doors-checking and rechecking and worrying if you checked and rechecked to the point that life is consumed with these checks and worries. One recheck or even two is not enough for the complusive checker.
There are many more things that can evolve into compulsions or addictions for people, this article was merely to highlight just a few of the more common ones. As mentioned before, quirks and obsessions sometimes have a place in human behavior, but when those things overwhelm to the point of harming a person and/or those around them, professional help is often needed to find ways of dealing with the compulsive behaviors. There is no stigma is seeking professional help, despite what many have been taught to believe. There is extreme, brave strength in recognizing compulsive, destructive behaviors and seeking solutions for them in order to better life and that of those involved.
