fixation
fik-SAY-shun
/fɪkˈseɪ.ʃən/
An obsessive attachment or preoccupation with someone or something, often originating from an unresolved psychological stage.
In psychoanalysis, a fixation occurs when development gets stuck at an early stage due to trauma or overindulgence.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'fixus', past participle of 'figere' (to fasten, attach). Freud adopted it into German as Fixierung to describe libido becoming 'stuck' or attached to specific early developmental experiences and images.
Word relationships
- obsession: Obsession is a broader term for intrusive, persistent thoughts, while fixation often implies an origin in arrested development.
- preoccupation: Preoccupation refers to state of mind absorbed in thoughts, which may not be chronic or rigid.
- indifference: Indifference is a total lack of interest or concern.
- flexibility: Flexibility indicates ease in moving past ideas or attachments.
Commonly confused with
- addiction: Addiction involves physiological or behavioral dependence on substances/actions; fixation is a psychological attachment to an idea, stage, or object.
Word family
- fixate (verb): To direct one's attention or attachment obsessively toward something.
- fixed (adjective): Firmly set or unyielding in position or mindset.
Collocations
- unhealthy fixation
- childhood fixation
- oral fixation
- fixation on detail
Idioms & expressions
- hung up on
- bee in one's bonnet
- obsessed with
Example sentences
- "Freud argued that an adult's oral fixation, such as nail-biting, stems from early childhood experiences." Psychological analysis context
- "His fixation with cleanliness meant he spent two hours wiping down his desk every morning." Everyday observation context
Memory hook
FIXATION means your mind is FIXATED like glue to one spot. Stuck in place psychologically.
When not to use
Do not use when describing brief, healthy interest or temporary attention.
Fun facts
- In optical science, 'fixation point' refers to the exact central spot where eye gaze is held still.
Related words
Explore more words
attachment, possessive, infatuation, clinging, compulsive, hyperfocus
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