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Knowingly or unknowingly, we tend to engage in self destructive behaviors. These behaviors can look different for everyone but have become increasingly common in times of distress. Have you ever decided to stop engaging in an activity after realizing it was hurting you? After making every effort to fight your desires for a few hours or even days, did you eventually start acting out again?
Self-destructive habits can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they not only injure the individual engaging in them but also have the ability to hurt those nearby.
While self-destructive or dysregulated activities may temporarily bring comfort or even pleasure, they eventually prevent people from leading full and fulfilling lives. These behaviors can include binge eating, compulsive computer use, self-harm, smoking, long-term isolation, and a variety of other actions that feel beneficial at the time but are damaging in the long run.
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What Is Self Destructive Behavior?
Self destructive behaviors can be found in many different areas, and some of them may overlap.
For instance, someone who uses drugs or alcohol might not have safe sex, putting other people in danger of contracting a disease or getting pregnant unintentionally. Self-destructive actions include the following examples:
- Self-injurious acts of physical harm, such as cutting
- Substance abuse and addiction, including pathological gambling and alcohol abuse
- Symptoms of an eating disorder include binge eating and undereating
- Having unprotected sex or being promiscuous
- Being aggressive and threatening to others
- Suicidal tendencies
People who're unhappy or in a bad mood are more likely to engage in self destructive behaviors, including substance abuse and suicide attempts. A person's thinking might be just as hazardous to his or her health as these harmful and life-threatening practices.
For instance, if one continually thinks that wonderful things won't happen and life won't get better, that may lead to continued self destructive behavior. Additionally, it's typical for people who're suffering from depressive symptoms to drive away people who're trying to help by engaging in self-pity and social withdrawal.
Neglecting duties, such as ones related to one's health, cleanliness, and attendance at work or school, is another indicator of self defeating behavior. Self-destructive people may lack confidence in their capacity to complete tasks and may reject opportunities, which may lead to others developing a distrust of them.
One might, for instance, regularly be late for work or perhaps quit showing up completely. They might also cause issues with their boss or coworkers.
Why Do We Engage in Self Destructive Behaviors?
Self-destruction can have many different causes. There are hypotheses as to why they might occur.
Trauma can be linked to a variety of self-defeating behaviors. Simply expressed, these behaviors are frequently connected with someone's sense of self-worth being harmed, for instance when they have been subjected to abuse. These occurrences may include enduring a violent crime, losing a loved one, or getting divorced.
That's especially true if the trauma happens when the person is a young child, and many people who commit acts of self-destruction have experienced trauma as children. Such trauma can involve sexual, physical, and verbal abuse as well as parental neglect. According to studies, these kinds of traumatic events are important predictors of physical self harm.
Additionally, some individuals may practice self destructive behavior as a result of their feelings of insecurity. For instance, if someone thinks they're overweight, they can starve themselves or binge and purge to reduce weight (as seen in eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia). Eating disorders can result in malnutrition and other health issues, and the effects are frequently extreme and excessive.
Another potential root cause of self-destruction is mental disorders like borderline personality disorder or bipolar disorder. Destructive tendencies may develop as a result of certain mental health issues. When dealing with self-destructive activity, psychological troubles are the last thing a person's life needs.
Finally, sociological explanations may also explain self destructive behavior. For instance, to avoid becoming overwhelmed by the actions of friends, partners, or family, one needs to consciously rethink their social and own lives. There's a constant demand to deal with the negative emotions and aggressive behavior of potential physical abuse from friends or other self destructive people.
Takeaway
Keep in mind that engaging in self destructive behavior does not indicate weakness, selfishness, or that there's something fundamentally wrong with you. Self destructive behaviors can be caused by a wide range of factors, making a variety of therapeutic approaches helpful.
People with these tendencies are typically advised to seek talk therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy. It can address the underlying shame and guilt that may have contributed to the harmful behavior in the first place rather than just treating the symptoms. A therapist can assist in helping you establish healthy coping methods that can make a difference when triggers occur.
Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.
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