Marilyn Cahatol

Overstimulated, intrusive thoughts, bipolar: ‘Pop psychology’ terms explained

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News Digital Intern

<p>MANILA — As the youth scramble for words to describe their experiences or displeasures, they often settle on psychological jargon, which eventually become commonplace in everyday conversations.</p><p>While some credit Millennials and Generation Z for reducing the stigma behind these terms and mental health itself as a topic, experts online have raised their concerns about their flippant usage. </p><p>“[It’s] both good and bad. These terms are now used commonly, so there&#x27;s less stigma attached to [them.] In that way, it&#x27;s good that people can express themselves. However, it&#x27;s bad that people invalidate [those] who really have disorders for using the words to describe more serious symptoms in themselves, so they may be invalidated, dismissed, or belittled,” psychologist Dr. Randy Dellosa told ABS-CBN News.</p><p>“The danger there is that when they are used colloquially, there&#x27;s a tendency for people to not take the word seriously anymore when it&#x27;s told by somebody who really means it,” he added. </p><p>Neurodivergent individuals, or those who differ in mental function from what is considered normal or “neurotypical” have also voiced disapproval online with how their debilitating symptoms have turned into popular psychology buzzwords.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS</strong></div><p>Internet users proudly exclaim when they let their &quot;intrusive thoughts&quot; win when they got that haircut on a whim or said yes to a spontaneous sweet treat run, but they are likely confusing the term with impulsive thoughts. </p><p>Intrusive thoughts are unwelcome, disturbing thoughts, images or even violent ideas that affect most people from time to time, but they can become problematic or distressing.</p><p>According to Dellosa, they are usually mentioned in psychiatry in the context of obsessive-compulsive disorder, obsessions, and even addiction.</p><p>“When we talk about intrusive thoughts, these are obsessions, and obsessions would be unwanted and irrational. [They] just occur in the brain without any intention,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)</strong></div><p>To the dismay of many psychologists and sufferers of the mental disorder, ADHD has been used as an alternative descriptor for someone who is easily distracted.</p><p>But being unable to keep focus is only one of the disorder’s possible symptoms. ADHD also manifests as hyperactivity or restlessness, and impulsivity. </p><p>According to Dellosa, the mental health condition may also have a lifestyle component, as he said the popularity of social media short-form content has greatly decreased people’s attention span, and that consumption of caffeine and sugar can also worsen restlessness.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/11/new-law-opens-up-school-counselor-jobs-for-psych-guidance-counselor-graduates-1117"><strong>New law opens up school counselor jobs for psych, guidance counselor graduates</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD)</strong></div><p>Like ADHD, the acronym is sometimes interchanged with perfectionism. But obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that afflicts individuals with irresistible urges, intrusive thoughts, or obsessions with repetitive behavior to relieve stress. </p><p>For example, beyond just wanting to wash one’s hands to maintain cleanliness, individuals with the disorder may obsess with washing their hands until they are dry and sore.</p><p>Dellosa clarified that when people use “OC” as a term for perfectionists, they may be referring to people with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), who have “very high standards and thus they are perfectionists, and they impose their high standards or perfectionist tendencies on others.”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>OVERSTIMULATED</strong></div><p>This has become a blanket term for feeling overwhelmed, usually when people are given multiple tasks. However, in Psychology, overstimulation — also called sensory overload — is when an individual’s brain is receiving too much emotional or sensory stimulation than it can properly handle or process. </p><p>This is typically experienced by people with autism spectrum disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other similar conditions, or even children without these conditions, as their brains are still developing.</p><p>Dellosa said certain substances or medications can also make one hypersensitive to stimuli, potentially causing overstimulation.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>HYPERFIXATION</strong></div><p>Hyperfixation refers to an intense, all-consuming focus on a specific task or interest, sometimes resulting in disregard for other activities or responsibilities in one’s life. </p><p>According to Dellosa, this is commonly observed in individuals with ADHD, saying that “people with ADHD have poor focus, but they can also experience hyperfocus or hyperfixation. So, that means they really get glued to what they are doing.”</p><p>He added that certain stimulants can also cause hyperfixation. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>BIPOLAR</strong></div><p>The term has been colloquially used as a catch-all for random changes or mood swings. But more than just emotional switches, bipolar disorder is a condition characterized by intense shifts from periodic emotional lows or depression to abnormally elevated mood called mania or hypomania.</p><p>“The depression feels very low, [but] a manic person, feels very hyperactive, grandiose in his thinking, high self-confidence, and very impulsive, hyperactive,&quot; Dellosa explained.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ANTISOCIAL</strong></div><p>Antisocial has been commonly used to refer to individuals who prefer solitude, are socially awkward or inhibited.</p><p>However, antisocial behavior means acting against laws and customs in society, while antisocial personality disorder, or sociopathy, is a psychological condition where individuals consistently exhibit “rule-breaking” or, in extreme cases, criminal behavior, often lacking remorse and regard for right or wrong. </p><p>Dellosa said there are a lot of people with antisocial personality disorder in politics because “the culture of politics attracts them, because the culture allows them to engage in hidden illegal activities.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2024/2/20/psychologist-shares-importance-of-setting-personal-boundaries-1540"><strong>Psychologist shares importance of setting personal boundaries</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A0eHbpfiBug?si=RcY73JomIvtdlSbw" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>While some credit Millennials and Generation Z for reducing the stigma behind these terms and mental health itself as a topic, experts online have raised their concerns about their flippant usage.</p>

While some credit Millennials and Generation Z for reducing the stigma behind these terms and mental health itself as a topic, experts online have raised their concerns about their flippant usage.

Overstimulated, intrusive thoughts, bipolar: ‘Pop psychology’ terms explained

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Overstimulated, intrusive thoughts, bipolar: ‘Pop psychology’ terms explained

ABS-CBN News Digital Intern,

Mei Lin Weng

Published Nov 22, 2025 11:10 AM PHT

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Psychology

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