Last update: February 18, 2022
"Jealousy is the highest expression of one's insecurity."
We all feel jealous from time to time. In fact, it is a normal reaction to the feeling that a relationship that is important to us is in some way threatened. Healthy jealousy tells our family, friends and partner, "You are important to me and I don't want anything to happen to our relationship."
However, just as there is healthy and normal jealousy, there is excessive or chronic jealousy. This problem is called pathological jealousy.
How can we know if it is pathological jealousy?
In most cases, pathological jealousy occurs between husband and wife or between couples in general. The pathological jealouser clings to the delusional idea that his partner is disloyal, without considering that there is no evidence to support his conclusion. Those who suffer from pathological jealousy believe that they are in control of their partner and are obsessed with watching over, chasing and trying to "catch their partner in the act".
Pathological jealousy can occur in both men and women, but it is more common and more dangerous in the case of men.
Unlike normal jealousy, pathological jealousy can last for years. Pathological jealousies usually rage over insignificant events to accuse their partner of infidelity and are unwilling to change their point of view when they come across logical evidence that proves them wrong.
In the most chronic cases the partner with chronic jealousy reaches very dangerous extremes, begins to be violent with his partner and / or with the alleged lover. It is also common for the pathological jealous to try to harm himself. Generally it happens to people with paranoid personalities or often this problem is accompanied by other psychosis or disorders such as, for example, an obsessive compulsive disorder.
Causes and treatments
Tom Valeo, in his article When a Drug Leads to Suspicions of Infidelity, says he has seen cases of pathological jealousy in several Parkinson's patients. Although it is not very common, pathological jealousy has been observed as a secondary effect caused by drugs to stimulate dopamine production in people with Parkinson's.
Likewise, cocaine, methamphetamine, or other drugs that produce a rapid increase in dopamine can produce a similar effect. In these cases the pathological jealousy has been fought with great success simply by reducing the doses of the drug in question or by overcoming the addiction to the narcotic substance.
Unfortunately, in most cases of pathological jealousy it is not so easy to deal with the problem. Pathological jealousy also occurs in people with schizophrenia, neurosis, bipolar disorder, and patients with damage to the right frontal lobule. It is also common in alcoholics and people suffering from sexual dysfunction.
Ultimately, jealousy occurs when the person feels insecure, when they feel unloved, and have an intense desire to be in a position of control.
In order for a pathological jealous person to receive the necessary help, it is essential to consult a psychologist, psychiatrist or even a sexologist. In some cases, a therapy that includes both members of the couple can offer great benefits. A health professional will be able to carry out a full assessment to determine the causes and thus indicate the best treatment.
Image courtesy of Mike Hoff.
