Understanding Self-Sabotage

Signs of Self-Sabotage: Living Life Sober or High?

If we are honest with ourselves, our addiction was the epitome of us understanding self-sabotage.

And the definition of self-sabotage is simply a behavior that prevents one from accomplishing a goal or a task.

In our addiction we did everything ass-backwards, so we had no chance of reaching or meeting any goals.

The biggest one would be getting sober I imagine….

…but truth be told, we also do it sober. Example:

You wake up late, and this sets a shadow on the rest of your day. Everyone has days like that, high or not.

But what if you can’t get out of your own way, no matter how hard you try, even when you are sober?

If you find that most of your days are like that, you’re probably sabotaging yourself in recovery as you did in addiction.

Wrecking your own potential success is not just a harmless byproduct of low self-esteem. Self-sabotage can take a huge toll on your relationships, health, finances, and career.

So, let’s take a look at a few major signs of self-sabotage.

Number one: you’re too hard on yourself.

Are you constantly putting yourself down or picking apart everything you do?

Are you able to let your mistakes go, or do you replay everything you did wrong?

Perfectionism and Pessimism: Signs of Self-Sabotage That Can Harm Your Health and Productivity

If any of this sounds familiar, you could be sabotaging yourself by being too perfectionistic.

Self-oriented perfectionism, or the belief that you need to be perfect no matter what, often leaves the person feeling like they’ll never be good enough.

This is because the end goal of perfection is often unrealistic. Not surprisingly, constantly feeling as though you don’t measure up leads to lower self-esteem and higher feelings of failure.

Your fear of making mistakes paralyzes you from taking any productive step ahead. Being overly self-critical can also hurt your mental health, resulting in feelings of loneliness, helplessness, anxiety, and depression.

Number Two: you’re quick to point out the negative.

Do you go out of your way to pick a situation apart until you find all the flaws?

Are you surprised when your plans work out well?

If this sounds familiar, you could be sabotaging your relationships with your pessimistic outlook. The surprising ways self-sabotage can harm your health and productivity.

 

Procrastination and Pessimism: How They Can Lead to Self-Sabotage and Impact Mental Health

Pessimism doesn’t just sabotage your goals and relationships, but it can also be bad for your health.

A recent study found that people who described themselves as pessimistic were 2.2 times more likely to die of coronary heart disease than the more neutral or optimistic participants.

Number three: you wait until the last minute.

You usually wait until the night before to write a paper, and you relate to waiting until the week before a holiday to make preparations.

Procrastination or putting off a task until the 11th hour is easy to do if you’re feeling overwhelmed, tired, mentally drained, or just plain lazy.

Avoiding a task because you just don’t feel into it is normal from time to time.

However, giving in to that “blah blah blah me” feeling on a regular basis can hold you back in many areas of your life. You end up being dissatisfied with everything you do, be it school, work or just anything in general.

The Negative Impact of Procrastination, Disorganization, and Clutter on Mental Health

Research has shown that people who described themselves as regular procrastinators report higher levels of stress and anxiety. They are also more prone to depression.

Number four: you’re disorganized.

What happens when chaos is your normal?

Are you constantly being late or missing deadlines? If you feel like your life is all over the place, you might be sabotaging yourself in several ways.

This lowers your self-esteem. Also, you lose things that you actually want and need.

The out-of-control feeling that comes with being disorganized can lead to emotional eating too, and increases feelings of depression and hopelessness.

Research shows that too much disorganization and clutter can make people feel stressed and uncomfortable.

People who describe their homes as cluttered tend to have higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Recognizing signs of self-sabotage, such as imposter syndrome and overcommitment, is important.

Linking Self-Sabotage to Burnout, Imposter Syndrome, and High Cortisol Levels

High levels of cortisol over time have been linked to health conditions such as inflammation and high blood sugar.

If you feel like a phony and doubt yourself and your abilities, these points may point towards imposter syndrome.

Feeling like a phony can lead to serious self-sabotage, such as not trying for jobs, promotions, roles, or relationships you want.

Overcommitment can also lead to self-sabotage in a variety of ways, such as taking on too much and not being able to finish everything you start.

Burnout, which is a constant state of stress and exhaustion, can also lead to self-sabotage. Burnout feels like constantly trudging through wet concrete or trying to drive a car with no oil.

The constant stress and exhaustion from burnout can lead to some serious self-sabotage, such as mental and physical illnesses, relationship troubles, and even financial problems. The dread even manifests physically.

Recognizing Telltale Signs of Self-Sabotage: Importance and Tips to Overcome

Recognizing the telltale signs of self-sabotage, such as headaches, stomach aches, and other physical symptoms, is important.

If you experience these symptoms frequently, it may be time to pump the brakes and consider how much effort you’re putting into your work or other areas of your life.

While occasional thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are normal, if you experience them frequently, it’s important to consider what might be contributing to your self-sabotage.

Remember that you’re worth the effort to overcome it. Read more about overcoming self-sabotage and experiencing healing in “Hopeless to Healed: A New Creation.”

 

Read More: Hopeless To Healed: A New Creation