It is important you know first that the people who indulge in
self destructive habits, don’t really want to destroy themselves, but are
actually trying to destroy something inside of them that doesn’t belong there.
Let this sink deep down into you before you pass judgment or condemnation on the people who are victims of it.
In its simplified definition: Self-destructive behavior
is any behavior that is harmful or potentially harmful towards the person who
engages in the behavior. It may be deliberate, born out of impulse, or developed as
a habit. Amongst many, the commonest causes of self destructive behaviors
are: trauma, and disrupted parental care have
been linked with self-destructive behavior.
The following habits as identified and stated below are common examples of self-destructive habits, they include:
1. Engaging in dangerous sexual
practices (for instance, having unprotected sex or having sex with someone you
just met)
2. Engaging in disordered eating (for example, fasting or purging) or
over eating.
3. Avoiding other people or isolating yourself.
4. Verbally lashing out
at someone
5. Drinking alcohol,
6. Banging your head against a wall
7. Pulling out
your hair
8. Gambling
9. Threatening other people
10. Threatening suicide
11. Becoming violent
toward other people
12. Cutting yourself with sharp objects
13. Using drugs
14. Throwing
things violently, and the most dangerous of them is
15. Attempting suicide.
How does one deal with self destructive behavior?
People, who are victims
of these destructive habits, should understand that there is a very tiny line
between emotions
and behaviors, so as they live their daily lives they should engage in: some
serious introspection, make a list of their coping skills, device a strategy to
tolerate their emotion, make taking care of their health a priority, engage in
healthy relationships and Get help from counsellors. Usually,
the best way to stop self destructive behaviors is to have a list of strategies
you can use when you feel triggered, which might include things like
distracting yourself with something you enjoy, walking away from the scene and situation,
or finding someone to talk to. It might also help if you look for patterns in
what's causing your destructive behavior. Then, you can try to avoid those things
so you're less likely to do something you regret later.
Below are step by step guide on how you can overcome self
destructive habits:
It is important to first
identify the specific habit you engage in, that you think are destructive to
you before attempting to change them. Self-destructive habits can be
anything that harms your physical self or your psyche. Make a list of all of
your self-defeating behaviors that you’d like to change.
Some studies suggest that
individuals may engage in self-injurious behaviors in order to distract
themselves from painful thoughts or emotions.
3. Determine
the consequences. Identify why each behavior is negative. For example, if
you find that your alcohol use is destructive, identify the bad things that
have happened in the past when you drank too much. This list might include:
blacking out, feeling hung-over, making bad decisions, hurting the people you
love, and engaging in illegal activities.
4. Track
your behaviors.
Keep a journal of when you
engage in self-destructive actions. Identify the event, as well as your
thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (whether self-destructive or not)
5. Accept responsibility. Sometimes
we may blame others instead of looking at how we contribute to our
self-destructive behaviors. It can be difficult dealing with underlying pain
due to a difficult childhood or a difficult marriage where abuse patterns are
prevalent, but we can take control of our own lives by addressing our emotional
difficulties, helping ourselves, and overcoming our addictions.
Comments
Post a Comment