Breaking the Cycle of Self-Defeating Behaviors

Counterproductive behaviors are those that take us away from our goals and can be incredibly self-sabotaging. They can lead to feelings of exhaustion and low self-esteem, and can be any behavior that results in something we don't want. Even when the desired goal is achieved, it can still be counterproductive if it causes more bad than good. Self-destructive behaviors (SDB) are part of the wiring of our brain-cognitive-behavioral-emotional-bodily system.

They include erroneous conclusions, self-limiting beliefs, fears, choices, techniques, pricing, minimizing, and repudiation. These factors generate SDB that limit healthy and productive behavioral, emotional and physiological responses at new times in life. Counterproductive behaviors often represent behaviors learned in one situation that are repeated in a new situation where they don't work. What may seem counterproductive to an observer may in fact act to prevent further deterioration in a person vulnerable to extreme depression, paralysis, or loss of sanity.

People who engage in counterproductive behavior often feel a threat to their ego or self-esteem; usually, there is some element of moodiness involved in counterproductive behaviors. Social psychologists began to think of counterproductive behavior as a class of behavior in the late 1980s. Self-destructive behaviors (SDB) are behaviors used to protect against perceived dangerous stimuli from the outside world. The causes of different counterproductive behaviors vary; however, most counterproductive behaviors have some things in common.

Psychologists who use cognitive behavioral therapy often struggle to help their patients break out of counterproductive behavior patterns. It is possible to achieve our goals of eliminating counterproductive behaviors and promoting life-giving behaviors. Counterproductive behavior (SDB) is any repetitive behavior that prevents us from moving forward in life. Some common counterproductive behaviors represent a combination of counterproductive behavior and compensation.