Contents
Being impulsive is not a virtue even if you brag about it
Psychology
Impulsive people can do things that, after a while, they may not be proud
When we talk about impulsiveness we refer to those people whose personality is based on the taking of quick decisions and immediate and spontaneous reactions. This response can occur in the face of external stimuli (everyday situations) or internal (emotions or thoughts of that person) and the impulse makes the person not consider their observation or the consequences of it in advance. Therefore, impulsive people do not reason when faced with a situation.
But before understanding what this quick answer consists of, it should be noted that the impulsiveness is part of both the healthy personality and various psychological disorders when its expression is higher and / or limiting, so in no case
case should only be associated with a personal defect.
Where everything starts
Surely on more than one or two occasions you have regretted, for example, your response to a WhatsApp and you have ended up deleting it (and thank goodness it can be deleted) and then sending a much more thoughtful text. Well, the first answer that you’ve finally made disappear is what would come to be a impulsiveness sign; send something that you regret because you wrote it without thinking about consequences or seeing if it is what you wanted to say. The rectification that follows, where perhaps you explain yourself better, would be a clear sign of reflexión before taking a decision.
And that first reaction in which consequences are not thought is given by genetic and environmental factors. Andrés Córdoba, a psychologist at Blua de Sanitas, tells us that with regard to genetics “a relationship with aspects such as the search for sensations or novelty”, typical of impulsivity, has been found. «At the brain level, inhibitory processes and executive function play a key role, associated with areas such as the prefrontal cortex, motivational processes, related to the amygdala complex, or the automatic inhibition of attention, related to the superior colliculus, the midbrain and the oculomotor pathway, among others ”, explains the expert. These processes develop with the interaction between the inherited variables together with our history of learning and interaction with the environment, where education modulates and regulates the impulsive behaviors.
In the words of the clinical psychologist Laura Fuster (@laurafusterpsicologa), the most extreme cases may have to do with brain neurotransmitters: «In general, we can see that the cause of impulsivity is learning in childhood and adolescence. Children who are used to having everything they want at the moment and who, therefore, do not know manage waiting and frustration».
symptom
Those impulsive people do not know patience, nor do they know what it is stop to think about various options. However, we can all at some point feel uninhibited or indulge ourselves occasionally, but when these behaviors become generalized they can put our health at risk. physical and mental health of the individual and their relationships with behaviors of aggressiveness or self-injurious. This is why the psychologist Laura Fuster differentiates the following impulsive behaviors:
– Poor self-control.
– Little reflection.
– Risk behaviors.
– Abandonment of tasks.
– Little planning.
– I do not respect turns in conversations.
– Short-term reinforcement.
– Automation.
– Bad management of emotions.
– Deficit in anticipating consequences.
«Some of the most common expressions are difficulty delaying reward, not taking into account various options and risks when making a decision, urgency to act, difficulties with emotional regulation, difficulty in tolerating frustration or seeking immediate gratification sensations “, completes Andrés Córdoba.
The psychologist Laura Fuster points out that those who are excessively impulsive end up feeling guilty, repentance and frustration, among others: “Impulsive people can do things of which, after a while, they may not feel proud. They will end up feeling irritability, rejection, low self-esteem or frustration. The bad consequences of the actions of people who are impulsive can cause them to end up having a poor concept of themselves.
In addition, it should be noted that these people by not thinking carefully about certain decisions can affect others and, therefore, their social relationships.
Stopping being impulsive is practically unlikely, but although impulsivity is not eliminatedYes, it can be modulated. Andrés Córdoba says that it would be advisable to first identify what stimuli and situations make the person act impulsively. Then try to stop the impulsive behaviors, «Managing stress and giving us time to assess various options and risks before making a decision». If we encounter difficulties or see that impulsive behaviors are putting our health and relationships at risk, it is necessary to seek help from a professional.