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A fixation is an obsessive drive that may or may not be acted on involving an object, concept, or person.
For example, individuals with oral fixations may have problems with drinking, smoking, eating, or nail-biting.
How Fixations Develop
According to psychoanalystSigmund Freud, children develop through a series of psychosexual stages during whichthe id’slibidinal energies become focused on different areas of the body.
The Id and Libidinal Energies
Freud believed that the development of a healthy adult personality was the result of successfully completing each of the psychosexual stages. At each point in development, children face a conflict that must be resolved in order to move on successfully to the next stage. How this conflict is resolved plays a role in the formation of adult personality.
Failing to successfully complete a stage, Freud suggested, would cause that person to remain essentially “stuck.” In other words, they would become fixated at that point in development. Freud also believed that fixations could result if a particular stage left a dominant impression on an individual’s personality.
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.
Freud’s Stages of Psychosexual Development
Examples of Fixations
There are multiple ways the three fixations mentioned above may manifest in different individuals.
Oral Fixations
The oral stage tends to occur between birth and around 18 months old, during which time the oral (feeding) needs of the child are either met, overstimulated, or unmet. For example, Freud might suggest that if a child has issues during the weaning process, they might develop an oral fixation.
Freud may also suggest that nail-biting, smoking, gum-chewing, and excessive drinking are signs of an oral fixation. This would indicate that the individual did not resolve the primary conflicts during the earliest stage of psychosexual development, the oral stage.
Anal Fixations
The second stage of psychosexual development is known as the anal stage because it is primarily focused on controlling bowel movements. Fixations at this point in development can lead to what Freud called anal-retentive and anal-expulsive personalities.
In either case, both types of fixations result from not correctly resolving the critical conflict that takes place during this stage of development.
Phallic Fixations
The phallic stage of development is primarily focused on their desire for attention from the opposite-sex parent and a sense of jealousy and competition with the same-sex parent for that attention. Freud suggested that fixations at this point could lead to adult personalities that are overly vain, exhibitionistic, and sexually aggressive.
At this stage, boys may develop what Freud referred to as anOedipus complex. Girls may develop an analogous issue known as anElectra complex. If not resolved, these complexes may linger and continue to affect behavior into adulthood.
Treatments for Fixation
So how exactly are fixations resolved? According toFreud’s psychoanalytic theory, theprocess of transferenceplays an important role in treating such fixations. Essentially, an old fixation is transferred to a new one, allowing the person to consciously deal with the problem.
Therapy
The goal of psychoanalytic therapy is to utilize the process of transference to release the energies of fixations. The therapist may discuss with their client patterns of reactions and attitudes that they observe their client unconsciously projecting onto them. This allows them to help their client bring their unconscious feelings from their past into conscious awareness.
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If you aren’t one for psychoanalytic methods, remember that the most effective therapeutic outcomes reflect theclient/therapist relationship, not the therapist’s theory or methods. If you do opt to see a therapist, be sure you feel comfortable around them and trust them.
Other therapeutic methods to consider are variousbehavior,cognitive, and cognitive-behavioral therapies to develop newer, more productive thought and behavior patterns:
Keep in mind that many therapists take an eclectic approach to selecting their treatment framework.
Self-Help
Depending on the complexity of the issue you would like to work on, there are various techniques you can try on your own. These include:
When to Call Your DoctorThe symptoms associated with fixation can vary from person to person. If you are experiencing difficulty with acts of daily living, are noticing a reduction in your quality of life, are having distressing thoughts, and/or are engaging in harmful behaviors, it’s important to reach out to your doctor right away.
When to Call Your Doctor
The symptoms associated with fixation can vary from person to person. If you are experiencing difficulty with acts of daily living, are noticing a reduction in your quality of life, are having distressing thoughts, and/or are engaging in harmful behaviors, it’s important to reach out to your doctor right away.
Challenging Freudian Perspectives
Fixations were critical to Freudian and manyneo-Freudian theories. One major problem is that while early theorists connected fixations to specific childhood events, linking adult fixations, such as nail-biting, to a specific triggering conflict in early childhood is difficult or impossible.
Final Thoughts
If you do have problematic nervous habits, obsessive behaviors, or fixations on a particular object, there are things that you can do to overcome such tendencies. There are different therapeutic methods and self-help strategies to help you develop newer, more productive thought and behavior patterns.
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SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Freud S.Five Lectures on Psycho-Analysis.1910.Freud S.Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality.Basic Books; 1962.
Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Freud S.Five Lectures on Psycho-Analysis.1910.Freud S.Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality.Basic Books; 1962.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Freud S.Five Lectures on Psycho-Analysis.1910.Freud S.Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality.Basic Books; 1962.
Freud S.Five Lectures on Psycho-Analysis.1910.
Freud S.Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality.Basic Books; 1962.
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