It is normal for people to have habits and to develop a routine in their everyday lives. Some people, however, develop habits that affect their everyday actions and thoughts–a condition known as a “tangible obsession.” For example, an individual might wash his hands many times a day to avoid physical contact with other people or count the floor tiles in his home to make sure they are all even.
Some people with a tangible obsession may even repeat these behaviors while driving, at work, or in other situations when they are not alone or have access to their fixated objects. In severe cases, these actions might interfere with working, attending school, or function in social situations.
People who suffer from this disorder may feel compelled to perform certain routines in a certain way, with a certain object, or they may feel the urge to collect and hoard a certain item.
The distinction between this and hoarding is that a person who has been diagnosed with tangibles obsession feels that these items are something they have to have, not just something they want.
A person who suffers from tangibles obsession may feel the need to wash their hands using a certain soap brand, for example. He or she may feel that the world will end if they do not get their hands washed with the soap they believe is necessary. People who suffer from this disorder may experience a compulsion to organize the items.
Rare Forms of Obsession
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a complex and often disabling condition that can make life miserable. The disorder can take many forms. Some people with obsessive-compulsive disorder have such severe symptoms that it’s disabling, while for others, it may be much milder. Most people have some obsessive-compulsive traits but don’t develop them into an actual disorder.
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Living with Tangible Obsession
It is normal for people to have habits and to develop a routine in their everyday lives. Some people, however, develop habits that affect their everyday actions and thoughts–a condition known as a “tangible obsession.” Suppose an individual might wash his hands many times a day to avoid physical contact with other people or count the floor tiles in his home to make sure they are all even.
Some people with a tangible obsession may even repeat these behaviors while driving, at work, or in other situations when they are not alone or have access to their fixated objects. In severe cases, these actions might interfere with working, attending school, or function in social situations.
What is Chronic Handwashing Syndrome?
As the name suggests, Chronic Handwashing Syndrome is a psychiatric disorder that is characterized by a patient washing his or her hands repeatedly until they are raw and bleeding. This disorder is, in some cases, a symptom of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, which is a mental disorder characterized by the patient exhibiting obsessive thoughts that cause obsessions and/or compulsions.
Chronic handwashing syndrome is compulsive handwashing syndrome that makes sufferers wash their hands in excess, for no apparent reason, and often until they’re red and raw. Compulsive washing can cause extreme stress, but it can also lead to other health problems, like infections and skin cancer. Whatever the negative effects, however, sufferers find it extremely difficult to stop washing their hands.
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Conclusion:
Tangible Obsession is a type of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) that is described as a compulsion to collect physical items such as paper, hair, and other inedible material. People who have this type of OCD are referred to as ‘pack rats’ or ‘tricksters.
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