Muscle dysmorphia describes people who constantly check their physique, obsess over going to the gym, become distressed if they miss a session, and will go to destructive lengths to build on their physique.
Is there a named condition for those who have, I don’t know, accomplishment dysmorphia? Except it wouldn’t be dysmorphia, not having to do with shape….
hmm how about ‘pride’? 🙂
Closely associated, but no. Self-worth hits sharp decline in relation to this dysfunction, and ‘pride’ doesn’t cover all the facets.
gotcha… hrmmm
is it… kind of an addiction? ….
Maybe. I feel increasingly distressed the longer I let something go; working out, writing, house repairs, car repairs, leaping tall buildings in a single bound, all that sort of thing. And, after a time, I begin to speak derisively of me for my lacks.
“Oh, I didn’t do X, I’m utterly a waste as a human being and should be slain out of hand.”
Check out Pia Mellody’s book “Facing Codependence”.
It sounds like a symptom of what she refers to as “toxic shame” (as opposed to healthy shame). During our youth if we are toxically shamed, made to feel that we are worthless or unable to live up to expectations, we can develop behavior patterns and beliefs that will not allow us to be imperfect. When we are grown and do something that triggers these feelings, we (over)react and rather than admit that we are only human and simply made a mistake and leave it at that (healthy shame), we become obsessed with how imperfect we are and take it out on ourselves.
Ask me about it by email if you’re interested in hearing more.
you almost sound like me :)… although i don’t consider myself a waste…. :)… just sometimes time gets away and i forget what needs doin….
It’s just life sucking again. No biggie. Try bonking yourself on the head like I do. (It doesn’t help, but after a while I can can get some pretty groovy rythms.)