The pressures, the mandates, the rules that we must comply with play a fundamental role in the way of being that we have on a daily basis. Many times, we find ourselves in situations that are difficult to handle since there are sanctions imposed by institutions, people, authority figures, among others. After all, what person has ever been ticketed for speeding? How many times have we heard news related to the arrest of people who refused to respect police authorities? Although these examples may be very general, the truth is that they are still aspects that occur in everyday life. On the other hand, there are people who submit to their own rules and mandates that cause them very high levels of stress as a result of the suffering they understand.
In this Psychology-Online article we will explain the psychological consequences of excessive self-demand.
Index
- What is excessive self-demand and where does it come from?
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Lack of empathy
- recurring thoughts
- Need for permanent approval
- feelings of inferiority
- Apathy
- postponement of pleasure
What is excessive self-demand and where does it come from?
Excessive self-demand is called excessive effort or pressure with respect to the objectives and/or goals possessed by people in different situations of daily life. Although it is true that self-demand is one of the qualities that human beings possess, it can become pathological when stress levels are extremely high and generate consequences in other spheres of life.
In order to find out why people demand themselves, it is necessary to investigate the causes that lead to their emergence. Next, we will talk about where it arises:
Life's experiences
In general terms, excessive self-demand can arise as a result of having had a childhood loaded with moments of family pressure. In this sense, significant people in the environment play a transcendental role in the formation of personality since they determine how to act in situations that occur.
On the other hand, it is possible that the person has had severe punishments for non-compliance with the rules. This results in the incorporation of a severe and hostile self-demand.
Biological aspects
Excessive self-demand is also based on the chemical composition of the brain. Given this, it should be noted that there are neural connections that produce different emotions over time. Likewise, high cortisol levels could be thought of in those people who have permanent and lasting degrees of stress over time.
Depression.
Although depression is not a consequence that can appear in all people who suffer from excessive self-demand, the subsequent lack of will to face projects It can be triggered by physical and mental exhaustion. For this reason, depression should be considered as a mental disorder that can arise after having breached imposed obligations.
Anxiety.
Another of the psychological consequences of excessive self-demand is the appearance of a high degree of anxiety. In these cases, it is likely that excessive worries about the present and the future that prevent you from enjoying the present moment.
On the other hand, episodes of insomnia, eating dysregulation, irritability, among others, can also occur. In the following article you will find more effects of anxiety on the body.
Lack of empathy.
Difficulty understanding other people can also be a consequence of excessive self-demand. In general, people who suffer from this inconvenience They tend to think only of themselves.. This prevents them from establishing social ties that present keen, solidarity and respect, among other qualities.
Recurring thoughts.
Thought is one of the main qualities that characterizes the human being. In certain cases, people who have high levels of stress due to internal pressures tend to think about the events of everyday life very often.
This fact, in turn, can cause them greater discomfort because these thoughts are not pleasant, but rather reinforce their own punishment.
Need for permanent approval.
Another of the psychological consequences of excessive self-demand is the need for standing approval by other people. This need arises from the fact that the self-demanding person usually feels inferior in terms of conditions in relation to their social environment.
feelings of inferiority
The low self-esteem It can occur at various times in life. Some people will believe that they have a lacking body by the social standards of beauties. On other occasions, on the other hand, feelings of inferiority can arise from thinking that certain imposed ideals have not yet been fulfilled in relation to life time or for not having met the proposed objectives.
Apathy.
Apathy refers to indifference and lack of emotional expression against external stimuli. This is another of the psychological consequences of excessive self-demand. On certain occasions, the imposed regulations produce a withdrawal of the person due to the duty they feel in their lives.
Postponement of pleasure.
It is evident that excessive self-demand and having a good time go hand in hand. For this reason, self-demanding people usuallyput off pleasurable activities to comply with internal mandates. For this reason, in these cases there is a clear decrease in desire in life.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Psychological consequences of excessive self-demand, we recommend that you enter our category of Personal growth and self-help.
Bibliography
- DeRosa, L., Valle, A. D., Rutsztein, G., Keegan, E. (2012). Perfectionism and Self-Criticism: Clinical Considerations. Argentine Journal of Clinical Psychology, 21 (3), 209-215.
