Why being obsessed with your partner’s past makes good people do bad things
A few months back I wrote an article about Retroactive Jealousy OCD and my own experiences with it. Since then, I’ve received messages of support from sufferers, thanking me for writing it. I always felt the article was somewhat ‘incomplete’, which is my main reason for writing this follow up. I also felt I could have offered more insight into my own personal experiences with the disorder. …
The behaviour of the general public shows we could all be labelled with a mental disorder
A word that has been banded around quite frequently in the media of late and one which seems appropriate for describing the current global pandemic is ‘unprecedented’. Within a short few weeks, we’ve seen the borders to countries close indefinitely, entire states being placed on lockdown, and an inevitable, if not imminent, economic recession — all as a result of the proliferation of COVID-19.
Governmental impositions for citizens across various countries have ranged from mandating social distancing measures, to self-isolation, to hand washing. It may seem patently obvious to say, but these are confusing times for us all. As behaviours…
First the bushfires, now Coronavirus — is nature trying to tell us something?
Considering recent events, one might be forgiven for thinking that humans have been hit with a biblical plague in 2020. The year itself has a slightly apocalyptic ring to it, and judging by current ongoings, it’s beginning to feel a tad as though ‘the end is nigh’ as well. With talk of the dreaded COVID-19 strain of Coronavirus dominating headlines, it is almost as if another looming, existential threat has been temporarily abated from our memory.
Climate change has long been considered the biggest challenge to our status on this planet. Yet with all the growing awareness that has garnered…
How an ancient Indian text offers lessons for the battlefield of life
The Bhagavad Gita is one of the oldest and most sacred texts of all religions. The title of this epic tale translates roughly in English to “Song of the Spirit” or “Song of the Divine”. It tells the tale of a dialogue between Krishna (who acts as an avatar for “the preserver” of the Universe Lord Vishnu) and Arjuna, a warrior-cum-disciple. Famously set on a battlefield — seen as an allegory for the “battlefield of life” — for years, scholars have debated over its’ interpretation. …
How it kills relationships, and what you need to know to beat it
In an online forum for OCD, a Reddit user posted his experiences with a psychological condition dubbed as ‘Retroactive Jealousy’ or ‘RJ’. RJ is a form of OCD that manifests as extreme, irrational jealousy towards a partner’s sexual or romantic past; often paired with an incessant, compulsive drive to ask your partner intrusive questions about their past relationships, flings, or hookups. Many Redditers thanked him for making others aware of this previously poorly documented form of OCD. Others, including myself, could directly relate to his anecdotal report, recognising it as an aspect of their own battles with mental health and…
Michael Devlin
Publishing Editor for an academic journal, with an MA in Applied Ethics. Meditation enthusiast and nature lover.
