Reasons why people behave that way…
Things we experience as children and adolescents shape the people we become in our adult life.
These can most certainly cause psychological issues and mental health problems as you grow into adulthood
Approval
Children whose parents or caregivers were detached, critical or perhaps didn’t know how to adequately express their feelings may grow up with an unmet and growing need for the approval and appreciation of others in personal, professional and social relationships.
To compensate, they have a compulsion to please others, hoping that these others will reciprocate with kind words or copious appreciation.
This behaviour can be exhausting though. The stress of working harder and harder just to achieve success in someone else’s eyes can lead to fatigue and fear of failure.
You may develop the impulse to remove the word ‘no’ from your vocabulary.
Overwhelming schedules and the constant need to do more and do it better may lead to depressive symptoms, stress, worry or even anxiety disorders.
This could lead to the onset of other mental health issues or an overreliance on coping mechanisms like alcohol use or drug use.
Validation
The need for validation is similar to the need for approval and appreciation in that it manifests as a compulsion to make others feel good.
However, a person who seeks validation usually wants more than just approval. They feel a strong desire to receive praise, compliments, attention and adoration for their looks, talents and accomplishments.
As the need grows, it might manifest as wanting others to envy or be jealous of them.
Addiction
The person craves social interaction and positive feedback from others and even strangers. These personality traits are prevalent on social media, especially among young adults.
A person who posts photo after photo of themselves hoping to garner ‘likes’ and comments about how great they look could also be seeking validation.
