When Mind Is Alerted To Danger: Nail Biting, Procrastination, And Other Forms Of Self-Sabotage

The neurons in the brain can make us believe in things that don't exist, anticipate our decisions, be selectively activated in response to visual stimuli, and interact with each other to store the information that makes up our memory.

This is how they are described in several books by neurobiologist and populariser Rodrigo Quian Quiroga, currently a scientist at the Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA) at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute in Barcelona.

This enormous capacity of the central nervous system to process the information we receive, especially visual information, allows us to predict the consequences of what happens around us and make decisions about it. It is considered a very human capacity and essential for our survival.

Self-sabotage as a warning sign

When we're nervous, we might find ourselves biting our nails, twisting our knuckles, scratching a pimple, or even lightly hitting ourselves with a pen or something heavier.

Even when faced with a complex task where we have a lot to lose, we might end up putting it off until we run out of time.

These behaviours originate from the survival instinct. Or, at least, that's what clinical psychologist Charlie Heriot-Maitland proposes. In a book titled Controlled Explosions in Mental Health, the expert explores how the brain uses minor damage as a protective dose to prevent greater harm.

Let's say it's as if the brain prefers to deal with the certainty of a controlled and known threat rather than face a presumably greater risk.

Different forms of damage control

Procrastination, that is, leaving the report, project, or essential decision until the last minute, can be seen as a defence against failure or rejection and the resulting depression.

On the other hand, perfectionism uses different mechanisms. Perfectionism requires hyper-concentration and attention to detail.

In this way, we try to ensure that we do not make mistakes and avoid failure, but we expose ourselves to the risk of stress and burnout. And this can also result in resounding failure.

The same is true of self-criticism, which, taken to extremes, deceives the mind with a misguided scenario of control and independence.

All these behaviours stem from the fact that our brains require a predictable, controllable world, free of surprises, to ensure survival. And they don't cope well with situations that are not well-controlled.

An evolutionary defence mechanism

The great geneticist Theodosius Dobzhansky coined the famous phrase "nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution." He refers to the fact that the Theory of Evolution is fundamental to understanding all aspects of biology, including neuronal functions.

We are diurnal organisms with very few physical weapons. We could say that our greatest weapon against predators is our intelligence and ability to analyse danger, anticipate it, confront it, or avoid it. It's no wonder that the brain has evolved to detect danger everywhere. It's a matter of survival, even in situations without real danger.

Our alert or threat system—and even fear—triggers neural processes that tend to assess different situations, predicting what will happen and resolving the threat. Neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, dopamine, or glutamate stimulate the senses and neuronal activity to respond to the threat and ensure survival.

The cross of an alert system

The biggest problem with self-sabotaging behaviours is that they often become self-fulfilling prophecies. Our exaggerated perception of how good we are at something can lead us to "rest on our laurels" and underperform compared to what we would have achieved if we had paid attention.

At the opposite extreme, our fear of failure can lead us to avoid challenges or situations we could have easily faced.

Self-harm and adolescence

A separate chapter on this topic could be dedicated to self-harm in adolescents, a situation more common than is usually realised. This type of harm includes cutting and other forms of self-mutilation known as non-suicidal self -injury, or NSSI.

This type of behaviour generally occurs in stressful situations due to negative affective states, anxiety, or depression.

We can consider this type of behaviour as a defence mechanism of the brain, which accepts minor damage before facing a painful situation that implies much greater harm. Among these more painful situations are sexual abuse, depression or anxiety, bullying, trauma, substance abuse, parental divorce, and the absence of friends, among others.

Thus, endogenous opioids, such as beta-endorphins released by minor self-inflicted harm, would reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

The case of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

Children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) are a separate case. In fact, autism is considered a risk factor for the development of self-harming behaviours.

These behaviours include hitting the head, cutting oneself, strangling oneself, biting oneself, scratching oneself, or pulling out one's hair, among others.

Just as in adolescents, self-harm in some people with ASD serves to calm anxiety, respond to sensory overload (noises, lights, smells, etc.) or cope with situations they cannot understand and that cause them stress or anxiety. In other words, we are talking about a biological stimulation mechanism to avoid more aggressive situations.

Heriot-Maitland proposes psychological therapies that lead to a reduction in the need for self-harm and, at the same time, to facing reality with less anguish and stress. Understanding the nature of the problem makes it possible to address its treatment. Although in this case, the problem is deeply rooted in our evolution and the need for survival. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)