Social Networking And Obessive-Compulsive Disorder

The Canadian Herbert Marshal McLuhan once said, the world has become a global

village through technology, and indeed it is here with us today. McLuhan was of the

view, “Time has ceased” and “Space has varnished”. In our time, just at the click

of a bottom a person can communicate with anybody at any corner in the world. The

world has forthrightly emerged as truly a small village among the rest of the

planets where everyone almost knows everybody. With the advent of the varied social

networking sites, such as Skype, Twitter and the most patronized, Facebook, all

these permits the up loading of pictures, one can simply pass that our planet is the

most interruptive of all the rest. You will agree with me that the world has become

closer than ever before, than can or could have been thought of. Hence, one could

imagine what would be made of the world of posterity.

Communication has to do with verbal or non-verbal mediums which are transmitted

through message. Message is defined as the content of a communicative act. There are

instances where the message is made known while the meaning is concealed; this is

referred to as cryptology. The atmosphere of communication can be very interesting

when the medium is easy to comprehend but stressful, if not frustrating, when an

unfamiliar channel is employed.

Psychology encourages communication, be it free association or a dialogue, which is

of the premise that, intra-psychic conflicts can be dealt with through this means.

It is a cliché that, problem shared is half solved. Therefore, communicating with

one’s social convey, which is a bandwagon, some alit while others aboard heals

psychologically than we can think of. This is against the back drop that, the

extreme of everything becomes an issue for psychology to deal with. In fact, this is

when it could be said, it’s abnormal. Abnormal does not mean a person has gone nude

or dirty and perhaps is eating from the gutters, but the extreme of anything is what

a fellow would have to be concerned about.

In abnormal Psychological studies, it is easy to come across the terms defects and

disorders. I do not wish to disturb you with these jargons, hence, let’s deal with

only disorders for now. Disorders fall within the anxiety bracket, which has to do

with, phobias and the generalised anxieties. Within the generalised anxieties is the

obsessive-compulsive disorder, also referred to as OCD. It is a ritualistic anxiety

disorder which a lot of people are affected and undergo different and difficult

rituals to stem their anxiety levels. For the reason, the disorder could sometimes

be shameful, time consuming and stressful, most often than not, many refuse to

discuss.

The social networking sites that have brought millions if not billions together

around the world can and could be generating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

among its users. Many might be aware of this problem, but will not know where and

who to turn, while others may not have come to the realization that what they are

battling with is this disorder. Stressful situations are threatening and create

tension, causing many people to feel anxious. In the face of stress such feeling is

normal. Anxiety disorders, include a group of disorders in which anxiety is either

the main symptom (generalised anxiety and panic disorders) or anxiety is experienced

when the individual attempts to control maladaptive behaviours (phobic and

obsessive-compulsive disorders).

The online chart sites are in fact becoming or are already interesting or exciting.

Unsurprisingly technology has equally made these social networking easy and

appealing. Cellular phones (mobile phones), palmtops, laptops, desktop computers and

the likes make access quiet flexible. This has pushed many to stick to it in spite

of their jobs suffering and relationships being on the verge of breaking or haven

broken down. The anxious feeling of losing an electronic friend, thereby been hocked

on through the various mediums, both at home and at work is at the extreme of the

new found life style. These sites come with the ability to upload personal pictures

and it adds to the zest of the present day communication technology.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder compels individuals in this condition to think about

what they would rather not think about or perform acts they do not wish to carry

out. Most often than not, a person knows there is a meeting to attend, a duty to be

performed and perhaps, a spouse to fraternize with, yet you will be feeling the

anxiety of losing a social networking friend. Hence, you might fore go all these

personal developmental roles or duties and rather network to chart, therefore the

belief in the field of Psychology to the effect that, obsessions are persistent

intrusion of unwelcome thoughts or images to a person. You may be in the middle of a

meeting or dialogue, but will be brooding about who might be online to chart with

you. The worse is the thought of an online friend whom you had assured on a previous

chart of getting back to in a gaffe, might be waiting. Then know that these are

intrusions which are unwelcome and they are impeding your trends

of thought.

The obsessive thoughts may often be linked with compulsive acts. At times, the

persistent thought of losing a social networking friend or the feeling of attending

to some online friends recurring urges one to perform ritualistic behaviours. But

when a person has an obsessive-compulsive disorder, such thoughts and urges, occupy

so much time that they seriously interfere with daily life. Have you looked or

considered the frequency of hooking on to the various networking sites, and the time

you while away? Are the online charting from the desktop computer in the office, to

the laptop via wireless modems and the mobile phones delaying your delivery

deadlines to organizational duties? That is why it is said, these thoughts and urges

are irrational but many feel unable to control them.

Additionally obsessions are persistent intrusions of unwelcome thoughts or images.

The consistent thought of losing online contacts, worse of all to have someone

around you who are connected to an online friend, increase the frequency of thoughts

that are unwelcomed. Thoughts of missing out on an electronic friend begins to

interfere many activities, such as conversations, official duties, offering

affection to a loved one, brings about the urges to break from such engagements to

get online. The mode of the frequency of this behaviour points towards OCD. For the

reason, obsessions are persistent intrusions of unwelcome thoughts or images, while

compulsions are irresistible urges to carry out certain acts or rituals.

Rituals here refer to acts or behaviour that a person does perform with an

appreciable level of anxiety to be relieved of stress. But it is at regular pace

with a fixed ratio or interval and as well, it’s intrusive.

Though the different social networks provide a medium to communicate aided by

technology, but it lacks the physical touch. Person to person or face to face

communication is equally important as compared to social networking. In this

instance you can touch and be touched, smile and be smiled at. This is a form of

healing. There is enough affection hence; too much online chart that lacks the above

has its own attendant effects. Have you checked how many within your physical

bandwagon that you have lost due to the overly dependence on social networking?

However, Psychology has traced this disorder to the novel title “Macbeth”. It is

said, Macbeth had been persuaded to take the life of the king. The murderous Macbeth

began feeling stressful. There was the constant feeling that his hands were stained

with the blood of the king. Macbeth washed the hand at each thought of this mental

image. The persistent thought of the blood stained hands or mental images, and it

attendant hand washing interfered with Macbeth’s life. People who ever find

themselves in this situation are known as “Washers”. It’s a stressful situation.

In spite of the above there is a relief mechanism known in Psychology as, systematic

desensitisation (Wolpe, 1958). This technique is based on classical conditioning. It

is implemented during stressful situations such as anxiety reduction technique.

Systematic desensitisation require the outline of anxious moments from high and

higher anxious periods to less anxiety state. Then, the list of anxiety from high to

less is turned upside down. The procedure will then begin with less anxious period,

gradually with systematic sensitized fellow being taken step-by-step to the high

anxiety state.

Through the dint of hard work you might have taken care of some disturbing

situations in your life, sometimes life threatening, yet you prevailed, either

through the support from an external locust (religious assistance or any other

means), you are about to help yourself again to eschew this disorder. It is a held

belief that, encouraging individuals to utilize their own resources rather than

attempting to solve problems for them is paramount in counseling setting.

Let us start with owning the problem or issue of social networking and OCD. A person

is able to accept responsibility for the self, problems and lives, when the fellow

has understood the issue or issues. Then emerges ownership; this refers to

acknowledgement that a problem is affecting a person’s way of life, will call on the

fellow to decide on what to do. Are you going through the torture of

obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Again, there must also be the development of understanding problems and issues.

After accepting responsibility for the problem, a person, often develops some

understanding, or feelings, thoughts, behaviours and interpersonal effects. This

helps people to perceive reality more vividly and gain lots of control over their

reactions to an issue. Do you accept there is such a disorder?

When there is ownership of problems or issues, it leads to understanding of such

situations, this enables the person to explore to adopt and adapt to new behaviours

and actions which would serve as mitigating measures. Insight or understanding of

problems is not enough. There is also the need to acquire more effective ways of

behaving in the situation, otherwise, people may resort to repeat many of the

ineffective behaviour patterns and fail to make any real progress towards the

resolution of their problems.

Despite the difficulty in trying to help yourself out of this state, you can seek

for help from varied quarters of Psychologist in hospitals near you. Do a soul

search to determine whether you are free from this disorder before employing the

defense mechanism of denial.

It’s delicate let’s try to do away with it.

Patrick Twumasi (0209045931)

patricktwumasi@yahoo.com