Sometimes, I type in my various questions about life into the Google search bar. I keep hoping there are simple steps or answers to all of my problems in life.
One of the latest phrases I typed was "how to get over an obsession". Honestly, I'm not sure it is even possible to get over an obsession. Some people might say simply "get a new one". That probably worked for the teeny boppers who were obsessed with Harry Potter because they just moved on to Twilight. However, I have found that is not possible with a true obsession. Some things are worth staying obsessed with for a lifetime like 90's boy bands like N'Sync, Backstreet Boys, Boys II Men, and New Kids On The Block. But when your obsession is bad for you like overeating because you're stressed out, finding a new obsession might not solve your problem.
I wonder if obsessions are born through boredom-induced anxiety. I often find I think about the things I'm obsessed with when I do not have something productive to do. When I've been sitting around for an extended period of time, I tend to turn to the familiar thoughts that I am used to thinking about. It is harder to think about the hard realities of life, so it makes all of us want to think about something easier. That is when we turn back to an obsession. If that is the trigger to the obsession, perhaps the solution is to be productive all the time. But, hate to break this to you, it is not possible.
Even machines need rest breaks. In particular, I think about computers. They run multiple processes, but they keep rotating between the tasks in order to multitask. Sometimes, computers stall for a little bit because they need more time to process. This is like in life when something has impacted your life, you have to stop and reflect for a brief time so you can adjust. Sometimes, computers freeze and have to be restarted in order to function properly again. This is like in life when a big road block gets in the way of your plans and you have to start fresh in a new direction. Sometimes, computers get too hot and will just shut off to cool down. This is like in life when people get flustered, they need time to wind down before they blow up (I mean, emotionally, and not literally. Spontaneous combustion is definitely a fascinating subject though.).
I suppose another popular answer to how to get over an obsession would be "stop thinking about your obsession". In all fairness, this is the insensitive answer. Not only is it insensitive, it is ignorant (ignorant said in true Michael Jackson South Park portrayal fashion). Do people think drug addicts, smokers, and other addicts can just stop their habits cold turkey? An obsession is an addiction. Thus, most of the time, it takes the realization that you no longer desire your habit in order to stop it. In that case, we're probably all in trouble because "we always want what is bad for us". In some sense, that is why America has such a pronounced obesity problem. The other reason for the obesity problem is parents don't send their kids outdoors enough to play. Instead, they tell them to watch more and more television. I digress.
I would say obsessions are hard to end, but easy to start. At least, with books, I can get obsessed with a book and read all the way through the book to the end of the last page. Then, the obsession ends with that last word. (That is, as long as you are not reading a Dan Brown book like Digital Fortress with number codes on the last page. I totally got obsessed with the code and found out what it meant after the book was over. In that case, the obsession is extended.) It is true that there can be a character that you adore that you remained obsessed with even after the book is over (*cough* Snape), but book obsessions still seem more fleeting than the true obsession.
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