Why the brain sometimes turns against itself: The neuroscience of self-sabotage and survival
Neurons in the brain can make us believe
in things that do not exist, anticipate our decisions, activate selectively in
response to visual stimuli, and interact with one another to store the
information that forms our memory.
Self-sabotage as a
warning sign
When we are nervous, we may find ourselves biting our nails,
cracking our knuckles, scratching a pimple, or even lightly hitting ourselves
with a pen or another object. Even when faced with an important task where much
is at stake, we might procrastinate until time runs out.
According to
clinical psychologist Charlie Heriot-Maitland, these behaviours stem from our
survival instinct. In his book Controlled Explosions in Mental Health, he
explains how the brain sometimes inflicts minor, controlled harm as a
protective measure to avoid greater damage.
In essence, the brain prefers the certainty of a known, manageable
threat over the risk of an unknown and potentially greater one.
Different forms of damage control
Procrastination - delaying a report, project, or crucial decision
until the last moment, can function as a defence against failure, rejection,
and the depression that may follow.
Perfectionism, by contrast, operates through hyper-concentration
and excessive attention to detail. While this may help avoid mistakes, it
exposes individuals to stress and burnout, which can ultimately lead to
failure.
The same applies to extreme self-criticism, which creates a false
sense of control and independence. All these behaviours arise from the brain’s
need for a predictable, controllable world - one free from surprises.
Situations that lack control are poorly tolerated.
An evolutionary defence mechanism
The geneticist Theodosius Dobzhansky famously stated that “nothing
in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.” This principle
applies to neuronal function as well.
Humans are diurnal organisms with few physical defences. Our
greatest weapon against predators has always been intelligence - the ability to
analyse danger, anticipate outcomes, confront threats, or avoid them altogether.
As a result, the brain has evolved to detect danger everywhere, even in
situations where no real threat exists.
Our alert and threat systems, including fear, trigger neural
processes that assess situations and predict outcomes. Neurotransmitters such
as norepinephrine, dopamine and glutamate heighten sensory perception and
neuronal activity, enabling rapid responses aimed at survival.
The cost of constant alertness
One of the major problems with self-sabotaging behaviours is that
they can become self-fulfilling prophecies. Overconfidence may lead us to
underperform, while fear of failure can cause us to avoid challenges we are
capable of handling.
Both extremes limit growth and reinforce the very outcomes we seek
to avoid.
Self-harm and adolescence
Self-harm among adolescents is more common than is often
acknowledged. This includes behaviours such as cutting and other forms of
non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), typically occurring during periods of intense
stress, anxiety or depression.
Such actions can be viewed as the brain accepting minor harm to
avoid more overwhelming emotional pain. These painful circumstances may include
sexual abuse, bullying, trauma, substance abuse, parental separation,
depression, anxiety, or social isolation.
The release of endogenous opioids, such as beta-endorphins,
following minor self-inflicted injury can temporarily reduce symptoms of
anxiety and depression.
Autism spectrum disorder and self-harm
Children and individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
represent a distinct case. Autism is considered a risk factor for self-harming
behaviours, which may include head-hitting, cutting, strangulation, biting,
scratching, or hair-pulling.
As with adolescents, self-harm in some people with ASD may help
regulate anxiety, cope with sensory overload (such as noise, light or smells),
or manage situations that are confusing or overwhelming. In this sense, it
functions as a biological coping mechanism to avoid more intense distress.
Heriot-Maitland advocates psychological therapies that reduce the
need for self-harm while helping individuals face reality with less anguish and
stress. Understanding the evolutionary and neurological roots of these
behaviours is essential to addressing them, particularly when the problem is
deeply embedded in our instinct for survival.
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