Jealousy is a type of feeling that affects countless human beings. It occurs when there is a distortion of the feeling of zeal and care for a particular person. Contrary to popular belief, jealousy is a personal feeling, aimed at those who feel it.
Jealousy manifests:
- in the face of a threat to the solidity of a relationship;
- in view of the possibility of losing the person for whom one is jealous;
- or when the loss of exclusivity in relation to the passive subject of jealousy is detected.
These statements differ from what was previously thought, as it was believed that jealousy was a positive feeling, seen as proof of love.
There are people who develop this feeling from childhood. It occurs at approximately four years of age, when the child identifies with a parent (the same sex as her) and feels jealous of him even when his (her) partner (a) approaches.
Jealousy is usually manifested by instability in the relationship, doubts, anger, fear, shame on the part of a member of the couple or both. It can be considered normal when it occurs in certain situations, such as being excluded and/or rejected by the partner (a) or even when a third party (a) starts to seek their attention; it can be tensional, when it provokes unpleasant feelings such as anguish and fragility related to the relationship; and even pathological, when the insecurity caused by jealousy promotes unfounded reactions and certainties.
In relation to pathological jealousy, it is considered a paranoid disorder by psychiatry, as its bearer does not differentiate fantasy and imagination from reality. It is characterized by extreme mistrust, constant search for evidence and confessions. The person with this type of paranoia feels anxious, depressed, humiliated, with a desire for revenge and increased libido. Such disorder, if detected, must be quickly treated, as it can induce its bearer to take extremely dangerous actions.
By Gabriela Cabral
