Self-destructive tendency: what it is and in what behaviors it is expressed

There are many ways in which people carry out acts that, either 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.

• Related article: "Suicidal thoughts: causes, symptoms and therapy"

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

In a strict sense, a self-destructive tendency refers to a series of behaviors that can cause physical, emotional or psychological damage to the person who carries them out. The behaviors of people with this type of tendency constitute a whole 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.

Do not confuse 'self-destructive tendency' with 'self-injury' as if they were synonymous terms. They are not, but the second could be included within the first. Self-injury, in addition to suicide attempts, are considered behaviors typical of a person who tends to self-destruction, given how clearly damaged his physical integrity can be seen.

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

Be that as it may, these types of tendencies, although they can be displayed by a person without any serious psychopathology, are 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 kinds of behaviors are on the rise. Sometimes it may seem that the person controls them, or that it gives them the feeling that by doing them they have greater control of their associated anxiety. Others might think that those who do it only want to attract attention, however, this It may be an indication that they require help and that they are not being given adequate attention and importance.

• You may be interested in: "Thanatos: what is the death drive according to Sigmund Freud?"

Forms in which it manifests

Depending on how directly related they are to the person's danger of death, there is talk of two types of self-destructive behavior.

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.

Instead, we refer to indirect self-destructive behaviors when they contemplate death or loss of physical or mental integrity as an undesired 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 within parasuicidal behaviors. The practice of high-risk sports would also be considered indirect self-destructive behavior.

This type of behavior is often carried out as if it were a mechanism to face 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 you are afraid of spoiling the relationship, to avoid being responsible for the end of the couple, the person with this type of tendency can carry out actions that encourage the other member of the relationship to abandon her Thus, instead of coping with the fear that the couple will break up, individuals with self-destructive behaviors make it the other person who spoils the relationship first.

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

Possible causes behind this behavior

The possible causes behind the self-destructive tendency can be traced, in most cases, to an unhealthy childhood and adolescence. The person who leads this type of behavior, especially in the most serious cases such as self-harm and addiction to substances, on many occasions he has experienced sexual or physical abuse during his childhood, which I know 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 lives, such as in their relationship, wondering things like 'how can you love someone like me?' or, while at work or at school, wondering "how am I going to be able to do everything they are asking me to do, if I am not worth nothing?".

The degree of ability or objective success that the person has in different areas of his 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 studies that, Believing they don't 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 receive adequate care from the closest environment, be it the family member or the group of friends. There are people who perform self-destructive acts in an attempt to get 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 taking a knife and making deep cuts in your arm. However, regardless of the severity of the self-destructive behavior that the patient is carrying out, The best thing to do 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. Regardless of your degree of awareness of the problem, it is recommended that the family environment and close loved ones encourage you to go to a professional, be it a psychologist, psychiatrist or doctor, to delve into the problem and see what the risk is for your life.

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