From the Editors January 28, 2013 Issue

Not obsessed

Written especially for teens

The Editors

“I’m obsessed!!” You’ve probably heard that popular saying by now. The phrase could sound pretty benign when referring to a favorite ice cream, a brand of shoes, or a TV show—or it could take on a more serious note when it’s directed at a person or an issue. In the first instance, one could argue it’s just an expression and not really a big deal. In the second, it could sound a little manipulative and scary.

That phrase, and the motives behind it, deserve some prayer and attention. Is it healthy to be “obsessed” about anything? And even more important, does it accurately describe our love for something, or does obsession have a slightly darker tinge to it?

Obsessed is defined as “to have the mind excessively preoccupied with a single emotion or topic,” “having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something,” “haunted.”

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