Fixation: Definition, Development, Examples, and Treatment

Definition:

A fixation is an obsessive drive that may or may not be acted on involving an object, concept, or person.

Development:

• According to Sigmund Freud, children develop through a series of psychosexual stages, during which the id’s libidinal energies become focused on different areas of the body.
• Failure to successfully complete a stage, Freud suggested, would cause that person to remain essentially “stuck.”
• Resolving the psychosexual conflicts requires a considerable amount of the libido’s energy.
• If a great deal of this energy is expended at a particular point in development, the events of that stage may ultimately leave a stronger impression on that individual’s personality.

Examples:

• Oral fixations: nail-biting, smoking, gum-chewing, and excessive drinking
• Anal fixations: overly strict and harsh potty training leading to anal-retentive personalities; very lax potty training leading to anal-expulsive personalities
• Phallic fixations: overly vain, exhibitionistic, and sexually aggressive personalities

Treatment:

• Therapy: psychoanalysis, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP), trauma-centered therapeutic methods
• Self-help: mindfulness, exercise, relaxation techniques, journaling, affirmations

When to Call Your Doctor:

• Symptoms associated with fixation can vary from person to person. It's important to reach out to your doctor right away if you are experiencing difficulty with acts of daily living, a reduction in your quality of life, distressing thoughts, or engaging in harmful behaviors.

Additional Information:

• Fixation
• Psychosexual Development
• Theories of Personality
• Psychoanalysis
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
• Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy
• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Mindfulness
• Relaxation Techniques
• Journaling
• Affirmations