Traits That May Perpetuate Anxiety
There are many positive traits people with anxiety share.
But, in his book, The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D. states, there are four traits which may perpetuate anxiety.
- Perfectionism
- Excessive need for approval
- Tendency to ignore physical and psychological signs of stress
- Excessive need for control
Do any of the above sound familiar? If you find yourself identifying with any or all of these traits, you may want to explore how those traits may be sabotaging you.
The striving for excellence is a worthy objective, but, like all goals, unintended outcomes can occur. Perfectionism isn’t about reaching perfection, it’s about pushing yourself toward it at all cost. Fear is an outcome of perfectionistic thinking.
We all want people to approve of us. The need for approval becomes a problem when our self-esteem rests largely on other people’s approval. Low self-esteem is an unintended outcome of excessive need for approval.
If we are driven by perfectionism, we will often deny and ignore our exhaustion. Burnout is an outcome of ignoring the physical and psychological signs of stress.
Controlling our environment is what most humans strive toward. Having that control helps us to be safe and feel safe. If the need to control is excessive and may include controlling others—either overtly or covertly—you may find yourself feeling anxious. It rarely works to try to control others.
Resource: Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D.