Self-destructive Tendency: What It Is And In What Behaviors It Is Expressed

There are many ways in which people carry out acts that, whether in the short or long term, and directly or indirectly, could be potentially dangerous to our integrity.

The self-destructive tendency refers to a whole series of behaviors that are considered harmful for the person who carries them out. It is often seen in mental disorders, as well as dysfunctional personality styles.

Let’s take a closer look at the exact definition of this personality construct, as well as its causes and associated disorders.

Self-destructive tendency, what exactly are we referring to?

In a strict sense, self-destructive tendency refers to a series of behaviors that can cause physical, emotional or psychological harm to the person who carries them out. The behaviors typical of people with this type of tendency constitute a continuum, that is, there are more serious ones and there are less serious ones, but All of them can carry a risk to the integrity of the individual

‘Self-destructive tendency’ should not be confused with ‘self-harm’ as if they were synonymous terms. They are not, but the second could be included within the first. Self-harm, in addition to suicide attempts, are considered behaviors typical of a person who tends toward self-destruction, given how clearly their physical integrity can be seen to be affected.

However, within the label of ‘self-destructive tendencies’ we would refer to a whole set of behaviors that They can be deliberate, planned, the product of an impulse or acquired as a habit and carried out automatically That is, there are self-destructive behaviors that may be more subtle than others.

Be that as it may, these types of tendencies, although they can be shown by a person without any serious psychopathology, have been related to disorders such as schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder, in addition to having an altered mood, such as in depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety disorders

These types of behaviors tend to increase. Sometimes it may seem that the person controls them, or that they feel that by doing them they have greater control of their associated anxiety. Others may think that those who do it are only trying to attract attention, however, this may be an indication that they require help and that they are not being given adequate attention and importance.

Ways in which it manifests

Depending on how directly related they are to the danger of the person’s death, there are two types of self-destructive behaviors.

On the one hand we have direct self-destructive behaviors, which would occur when the person who tends to this type of act is carrying out actions that can end in tragedy, such as suicide attempts or self-harm

On the other hand, we refer to indirect self-destructive behaviors when they contemplate death or loss of physical or mental integrity as an unwanted effect, even if consciously. Examples of this type of behavior would be smoking or addictions to different substances, which lead the person to a slow death and are included in parasuicidal behaviors. Practicing high-risk sports would also be considered indirect self-destructive behavior.

This type of behavior is usually carried out as if it were a mechanism to cope with the adversities of daily life especially when the individual feels overwhelmed by them.

Self-destructive behaviors can manifest as a mechanism to keep people away. For example, if being in a relationship, one is afraid of ruining the relationship, to avoid being responsible for the end of the relationship, the person with this type of tendency can carry out actions that encourage the other member of the relationship to abandon it. Thus, instead of facing the fear that the couple will break up, self-destructive individuals make it the other person who ruins the relationship first.

However, in most cases, this type of behavior does not occur in such an elaborate manner. In mental disorders such as eating behavior, that is, anorexia, bulimia and food addiction, alcoholism, various addictions and borderline personality disorder, this type of behavior can be observed. Sex addiction is also considered a self-destructive tendency, especially when it involves taking risks such as not taking appropriate prophylaxis against sexually transmitted diseases.

Possible causes behind this behavior

The possible causes behind the self-destructive tendency can be traced back, in most cases, to an unhealthy childhood and adolescence. The person who engages in this type of behavior, especially in the most serious cases such as self-harm and substance addictions, has often experienced sexual or physical abuse during their childhood, which is has crystallized in the form of trauma that appears in adulthood in the form of dysfunctional behaviors

This type of tendency can also be associated with personality characteristics, especially in those people who feel very insecure and have little confidence in their strengths, despite having them. These types of people feel insecure with many aspects of their life, such as their relationship, wondering things like ‘how can he love someone like me?’ or, while at work or at school, asking yourself “how am I going to be able to do everything they are asking me to do, if I am worthless?”

The degree of ability or objective success that the person has in different areas of their life does not seem to influence the self-destructive tendency. That is to say, there are people who are very good at certain aspects, such as sports or studying, who, believing that they do not deserve success or have low self-esteem, they boycott themselves

A determining factor in having a personality style with a self-destructive tendency is not receiving adequate care from the closest environment, whether family or a group of friends. There are people who carry out self-destructive acts in an attempt to attract attention and, at the same time, as a symptom of the psychological problem behind this behavior. Tobacco use, especially among adolescents, could be interpreted as seeking help and receiving attention from their parents.

Is it possible to change it?

As we were already saying, there is a diversity of behaviors that fall under the umbrella of “self-destructive tendency.” Smoking is not the same as picking up a knife and making deep cuts on your arm. However, regardless of the severity of the self-destructive behavior that the patient is carrying out, The most advisable thing in all cases is to go to psychological therapy

Not all people who engage in this type of behavior are aware of their self-destructive tendency, and sometimes they even downplay it. Whatever your level of awareness of the problem, it is recommended that your family environment and close loved ones encourage you to go to a professional, be it a psychologist, psychiatrist or doctor, to delve deeper into the problem and see what the risk is to your life.

Many of these behaviors are due to an underlying psychological problem, which causes discomfort and a high degree of dysfunction in the person’s life. It is advisable to make the person see what is the cause of the situation they are in, how it is possible to improve and, through perseverance, begin to see the results in the form of improvement.