• Replies 6 replies
  • Subscribers 28 subscribers
  • Views 1424 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Obsessions

lostmyway

I would appreciate some feedback from members about a problem I have about sometimes becoming very obsessed about something I don't seem to understand very well. Instead of just leaving it for the time being, I will often become upset about not being able to immediately work it out and feel compelled to keep examining it, even though this becomes harder due to the anger and stress engendered. It's as if I have to complete something or other that has sparked my attention otherwise I feel a terrible sense of failure.

I also tend to be a perfectionist about certain things, feeling unhappy if something is not done to my satisfaction.

I was wondering if this kind of behaviour relates to people on the AS or simply just an idiosyncratic part of my personality. Or, maybe, I just don't get out enough.

Any comments appreciated.

Parents

  • Martian Tom said:

    Yes, I get these obsessions, too.  One of mine is to start something, like a writing project, which then comes to nothing.  So I'll restart it, and again it'll come to nothing.  I have one project that I've restarted time and again over the last ten years... and each time it's come to the same end.

    There's a saying that the definition of insanity is trying to do the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result each time.  If that's the case, then I'm insane.

    Perfectionism.  Tell me about it.  It's one of the reasons I don't like working in a team.  I want to do things my way, even if it's not the best way.  I need to be in control.  And if I make a mistake... then I have to start again.  I had a mark on one of my bathroom floor tiles.  Only a small mark - but I knew it was there, and it bugged me.  So I took the tile up and replaced with another tile from under the cooker in my kitchen, which has the same tiles.  Trouble is, the shade was slightly different.  So that had to be changed, too.  In the end, I spent hours taking up and shifting tiles, until I was satisfied.  And all it was was a tiny mark.

    But I knew it was there!

    It's one of the reasons I no longer have a car.  If it rains, and it gets dirty - I have to clean it straight away.  If it gets a tiny scratch or paint chip, it keeps me awake at night.

    Yep, that's me.

Reply

  • Martian Tom said:

    Yes, I get these obsessions, too.  One of mine is to start something, like a writing project, which then comes to nothing.  So I'll restart it, and again it'll come to nothing.  I have one project that I've restarted time and again over the last ten years... and each time it's come to the same end.

    There's a saying that the definition of insanity is trying to do the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result each time.  If that's the case, then I'm insane.

    Perfectionism.  Tell me about it.  It's one of the reasons I don't like working in a team.  I want to do things my way, even if it's not the best way.  I need to be in control.  And if I make a mistake... then I have to start again.  I had a mark on one of my bathroom floor tiles.  Only a small mark - but I knew it was there, and it bugged me.  So I took the tile up and replaced with another tile from under the cooker in my kitchen, which has the same tiles.  Trouble is, the shade was slightly different.  So that had to be changed, too.  In the end, I spent hours taking up and shifting tiles, until I was satisfied.  And all it was was a tiny mark.

    But I knew it was there!

    It's one of the reasons I no longer have a car.  If it rains, and it gets dirty - I have to clean it straight away.  If it gets a tiny scratch or paint chip, it keeps me awake at night.

    Yep, that's me.

Children
No Data