Self Destruction

LadyFlexible

Is it possible for people to have moments to willingly and consciously be self destructive? I'm not talking masochism or emotion eating either. If so why?

Sinisterly

Not touching this. Nope.

NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE.

LadyFlexible

Is it possible for people to have moments to willingly and consciously be self destructive? I'm not talking masochism or emotion eating either. If so why?

Things like running yourself until you pass out. And no I'm not talking about myself. I'm in psychology and we're discussing emotions, motivation, and behaviors.

Sinisterly

Ohhh, you should have included that in the first post.

Phew.

Okay, so in a psychology standpoint, there are people that push themselves to the point of exhaustion, yes. It also lands them in the hospital. Impatience may be a factor, or people that want immediate change, when change takes time.

Edit: Do you have a list of questions or something?

LadyFlexible

Ohhh, you should have included that in the first post.

Phew.

Okay, so in a psychology standpoint, there are people that push themselves to the point of exhaustion, yes. It also lands them in the hospital. Impatience may be a factor, or people that want immediate change, when change takes time.

Edit: Do you have a list of questions or something?

No, not really. I'm just really curious because I see people who will push themselves to the point where even things that would be considered be good to the point it lands them in the hospital. They do it for the pure fact that its self destructive and apparently feels good. I've had family do it. I don't get it. I find it curious and I'd like to understand their motivation.

I mean I could see it as focusing on something like health in order to distract themselves or impatience. Or they have a goal in regards to what they are doing.

PatheticNoetic

Ridiculously overdeveloped will power ?

I can get that way. I went on a walk a while ago with new shoes that started hurting 5 minutes into the walk. Rather than stop and avoid blisters I kept going and did my one hour walk. By the end of it my feet hurt so much I was walking strange. I had blisters so bad that I my feet continued to hurt for a week or two after. And yes... the next day I was out there walking again (but with band aids and different shoes on).

In my head though, I wouldn't let myself quit. I knew I could do it and I was going to.

Le_Joy

[/quote]
"They do it for the pure fact that its self destructive and apparently feels good."
[/quote]

I don't think people consciously think about it being self destructive. Like the walking example someone else gave I can relate to. I don't like getting blisters to be self destructive, and people don't run to the point of exhaustion on purpose, it's just side effects of the exercise and we make modifications/improve to avoid the negative consequences.

One of my psych instructors HATED the term maladaptive coping mechanisms, she always said no one intentionally uses a "bad" coping mechanism. They simply take care of themselves in the ways they know how. For example people who drink til they pass out every night are using a coping mechanism that is accessible to them, that they were taught somewhere along the way, that works for them. They don't think about the consequences, only that it works. Even on a smaller scale most people who drink do it because it makes them "feel better" granted they might not be feeling so good the next morning when they overdo it, but they continue to do it knowing the consequence could be a hangover...

I'd say the motivation is to feel better. Regardless of what it takes to achieve that.

kdb247

I was told I was self destructive because I still run with a Runner's Toe.

What's wrong with me?

Shonjikari

Honestly I am notorious for this. While it doesn't translate into how I work out and keep healthy, it affects my grades a lot. I am EXTREMELY perfectionistic. I was that person in class with a 4.0 GPA who never went out or did anything or talked to anyone because studying was the only thing that mattered. I was that person in class who had a full out nervous breakdown over a 95, the highest grade in the class. I dropped out of a college honors class because I got a B- on a rough draft.

My mental health obviously suffered (and it was already bad) causing me to be admitted to inpatient treatment frequently for such bad anxiety.

Do I cognitively know striving for the perfect GPA with nothing but 100's on everything is unrealistic and extremely self-destructive? Yeah. Of course. But I have this drive in me to excel at academics because I'm so incompetent at life in general. I feel like if I achieve perfect grades, no one will ever see through to the fact I'm an anxious mess all the time. Which again, is really unrealistic.

LadyFlexible

So its most likely more a coping mechanism than just out of what the hell? It's not conscious until someone points it out or they realize the pattern?

Is this essentially what I'm getting?

Shonjikari. I find your story very interesting and informative.