Though it may seem counter-productive that anyone would hinder or sabotage their own goals, happiness or well-being, the truth is that many people live with underlying psychological forces that do just that. We are all products of our life experiences and sometimes those experiences create forces within us that hold us back. In some cases, these forces can be very self-destructive.
Addiction is one example of behaviour that is well-known for damaging people’s lives and addiction takes many forms. There are many different types of addictions and different severities of addictive behaviour. But not all self-destructive behaviour falls under the umbrella of addiction. Many types of recurring patterns of behaviour often lead to negative or destructive consequences.
Common self-destructive behaviours include:
There are many reasons people can act in self-destructive ways at times. Emotional pain, unresolved difficult past experiences, problematic parental relationships and previous experiences of trauma can all lead to self-destructive behaviours. These behaviours can become habits that are difficult to break.
Self-destructive behaviour can sometimes originate in self-coping strategies that no longer work. Self-coping mechanisms that have worked in the past may have got out of control and now do more harm than good. It’s sometimes hard to recognise when a coping mechanism has gone past its expiry date and is no longer helping.
Often, we may recognise self-destructive behaviour patterns but still feel unable to change or prevent these behaviours. We may feel powerless or even hopeless in the face of such powerful psychological forces.
Getting beyond self-destructive behaviour is possible.
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There are many reasons why people develop self-sabotaging behaviour and each person’s circumstances will be unique to them. Therapy for self-destructive behaviour seeks to understand the underlying causes of the problematic behaviour. The history, patterns and triggers of the self-destructive behaviour will be considered. It can also be useful to understand the purpose of negative behaviour patterns: Why am I doing this to myself? What part of me am I trying to destroy? Why does this behaviour feel outside of my control?
We have seem many clients with all types of self-destructive behaviour. If you would like to make a first appointment to speak with a therapist about any worrying behaviour, please contact us.
Learn how to be constructive in your life, and reduce self-destructive behaviour.
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