Ni hao Calvin, They are not comparable, just 2 different aspects. When you learn something you acquire the knowledge of it by studying and researching. This is a rational attitude, while being obsessed by something * or someone * means you have an unhealthy, mostly irrational preoccupation with this thing or that person. There is sort of a diligence in both cases , but in the case of learning it is a healthy behavior with a clear motivation while when obsessed it is an absurd illogical conduct.

They are 2 different things, but can be come hand and hand. If you like space and learn things now and then to improve your knowledge of space than you are learning. but if you spend day after day learning about space than you are obsessed. If you like to fish and do it 20 hours a day ever day, than you are obsessed, but you are not learning. you may learn something here and there, over time, but you arent "Learning to fish" you know how to fish, you just might occasionally learn something that teaches you how to do it better

Hi Calvin, this is the best way I can answer your question. For example, sometimes people can fall into the trap of becoming obsessed with learning a language with a certain accent, whereas what they could be doing is learning to speak fluently to communicate with others.

Habits can certainly cause chemical changes within the brain. Drugs, alcohol, stress, exercise - each of these do change the chemical make-up within your brain, which affects mood and behavior. There are all sorts of addictions out there! Fact is that some addictions are stronger and more intense than others. Some people have addictive personalities, they become addicted (to a variety of things) easily. While a person may or may not be addicted to video games, per se, they can become addicted to that behavior. They may not got through physical withdrawal symptoms if they had to quit "cold turkey", but it could certainly be emotionally difficult.

Being obsessed means you go over it and over it. Can you stop? Can you do anything else? I understand your point- how much is too much? I would ask- do you ever get weary, as though your constant search were tiring and miserable rather than joyful? And more importantly, does your learning/obsession cause problems for you in your life? The difference is all about whether you're happy.