Crematomania, also known as obsession with money, is a psychological disorder characterized by the compulsive need to accumulate wealth and material goods. People with crematomania may feel excessive concern about money and their health, interpersonal relationships, and other important areas of their lives may be affected. In order to access certain benefits during life, it is necessary to have financial resources that open up possibilities. The idea of obtaining material objects, living rewarding experiences and eating high-value foods sound good to the vast majority of human beings. However, when this ambition becomes an obsession, we could find ourselves facing a situation of crematomania.
In this Psychology-Online article we explain What is crematomania (obsession with money) and how to overcome it.
What is obsession with money or crematomania?
When we talk about obsession with money or crematomania we are referring to a mental health disorder characterized by fixed and rigid ideas of accumulating money and/or material objects.
People with crematomania can be very stingy with their money and have serious difficulties spending or investing their money in activities that are normally enjoyable for other people. In some cases, they may even experience anxiety, depression, and other psychological symptoms associated with excessive worry about money.
Although this condition is intended to obtain goods and/or capital, it does not correspond to the person’s will to carry out actions intended to do so. As a result of this, it is considered a serious pathology within the field of mental disorders.
Diagnostic criteria for crematomania
Although this mental health disorder is not classified within the DSM-V, crematomania could be located within the . Below we will detail the corresponding diagnostic criteria:
- Thoughts and intrusive impulses.
- The person tries to avoid these thoughts or impulses.
- Deterioration of social relationshipswork and family due to the symptoms experienced.
- The alterations cannot be explained by the presence of another mental disorder or by the ingestion of toxic substances and/or medications.
Causes of crematomania
In order to investigate a little more detail about this pathology, one of the variables that must be considered responds to its origins. In this section, we will refer to the causes of crematomania:
Environmental factors
The life’s experiences They play a fundamental role in managing emotions, behaviors and thoughts. In general terms, the idea of obtaining money generates an overwhelming happiness that can cause the prejudices regarding this issue to be put aside and radical changes to occur in a person’s life.
On the other hand, the observation of family behaviors They are also usually associated with crematomania because they shape the personality. In other words, a family member may suffer from obsessions, compulsions, difficulty spending money, among others.
Genetic factors
The incidence of genes It is another of the factors that are related to the appearance of obsession with money. There are alterations in the functioning of the system related to the processing of information that comes from outside. For this reason, people who suffer from crematomania could have certain neural connections affected.
In short, if a parent was diagnosed with this clinical condition, there is a high probability that the person will repeat the same behavioral patterns.
Symptoms of crematomania
To detect this mental disorder in time, it is important to pay attention to the physical, emotional and behavioral manifestations of a person. Below we show you the main symptoms of obsession with money:
- Difficulty enjoying achievements.
- Inability to part with money and/or objects.
- Complexity in establishing social relationships.
- Anxiety.
- Excessive distress. In this article we explain to you.
- Sweating.
- Body tremors.
- Recurrent and catastrophic thoughts about money.
- Avoidance of situations linked to financial expenses.
It should be noted that the presence of any of these symptoms in isolation does not necessarily constitute a condition of crematomania. Therefore, it is essential that the diagnosis be made by a mental health professional based on the qualities of each person.
What consequences does money addiction have?
money addiction can lead to a series of risky behaviors both for the person themselves and for third parties given the seriousness of the condition. In relation to this, crematomania can be an indicator of the presence of other mental disorders in the same person.
For this reason, consistency should not be taken away from the presentations that appear in those who suffer from this pathology. In this article you will find more information about the.
How to overcome obsession with money
Although crematomania represents a crucial problem for a person’s life, there are some solutions that aim to improve quality of life. In the next items, we will develop how to overcome the obsession with money:
Psychological therapy
Therapy is a space that invites reflection and the development of strategies according to the particularities of each person according to the problem being treated. In the case of obsession with money, one of the most effective alternatives is psychoanalysis, which treats a person’s obsessions by placing their origins in the past. Understanding the problems will allow you to adopt other tools when facing a problematic situation.
On the other hand, cognitive-behavioral therapy addresses the thoughts, emotions and behaviors of the present. Both approaches are valid, only the theoretical framework is modified.
Psychiatric medication
In the event that the symptoms are of considerable severity that prevent the development of daily activities, the supply of psychiatric medications such as anxiolytics, can reduce the intensity of the condition. However, it is essential that the intake of psychiatric medication is always supervised by a mental health professional.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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References
- American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders (5th edition). Arlington: Panamericana Medical Publishing.
Bibliography
- Wainszelbaum, V. (2005). The object in obsessional neurosis. The particularity of money. XII Research Conference and First Meeting of Mercosur Psychology Researchers. Faculty of Psychology – University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires.