Control issues is a general term for when people seem overly focused on controlling situations around them. Control issues could stem from high anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, or other mental health conditions. Some people with control issues will attempt to micromanage every aspect of a situation.
Control freaks tend to have a psychological need to be in charge of things and people - even circumstances that cannot be controlled. The need for control, in extreme cases, stem from deeper psychological issues such as obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety disorders or personality disorders.
Causes of Controlling Behavior
The most common are anxiety disorders and personality disorders. People with anxiety disorders feel a need to control everything around them in order to feel at peace. They may not trust anyone else to handle things the way they will.
Personality disorders: Some personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder (BPD) and narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), may increase the chances of someone using controlling behavior. Learned behavior: A person may have learned controlling behavior and other forms of abuse from other people.
Having a controlling personality is not considered to be a personality disorder; however, contemporary psychodynamic theory and practice see DMS-V personality disorders as being environmental as opposed to purely psychiatric (biological and physiological) conditions.
Controlling behaviors can develop due to several different factors. However, the most common drivers of control issues are anxiety disorders and personality disorders. People who have anxiety disorders feel like they need to control things around them so that they can appease their anxiety.
You will probably always have issues with a controlling person, so don't expect a huge change. You can't change another person. Even if you've tried your best to address how their behavior is harmful, a controlling person will not change unless they want to.
Deep down, control freaks are terrified of being vulnerable; they're anxious, insecure and angry. They believe they can protect themselves by staying in control of every aspect of their lives. They're very critical of their colleagues and their friends, but underneath their criticism is a mountain of unhappiness.
One of the leading causes of OCD is the fear of losing control. Studies have shown that people who fear losing control over certain occurrences are likely to exhibit behaviors that are related to OCD.
A controlling person is someone who attempts to maintain control, authority, and/or decision-making power over other people and situations. Controlling behavior can include everything from directly telling someone what they can or cannot do to more discreet methods like guilt-tripping, gaslighting, possessiveness.
Guilt trips: Controlling people may guilt you into doing what they want. For example, they may cause you to feel guilty for how you spend your time, such as with friends instead of with them. Unpredictable: They are often unpredictable.
Coercive control is a form of psychological abuse whereby the perpetrator carries out a pattern of controlling and manipulative behaviours within a relationship and exerts power over a victim, often through intimidation or humiliation, which tends to be more subtle and harder to spot.
A controlling relationship is one where one partner dominates the other in an unhealthy, self-serving manner. If your partner constantly makes you feel intimidated, insecure, or guilty, you could be in a controlling relationship. And control in a relationship is a form of abuse.
Overly controlling behavior is a common red flag. People that try to control your movements, decisions, or beliefs are more concerned about what they want than what is best for you. In a healthy relationship, there is compromise and understanding around differences. Not one person controls the other person's actions.
Control issues refer to an overarching theme in a person's character rather than a specific disorder. People with control issues feel the need to maintain power over nearly every aspect of their life, including personal and romantic relationships, family dynamics, and events in the workplace.
Control is linked to an ability to take preventative action and to feel healthy (Mirowsky & Ross, 1991). An impairment of control is associated with depression, stress, and anxiety-related disorders (Abramson et al., 1989; Chorpita & Barlow, 1998; Mirowsky & Ross, 1999; Shapiro, Schwartz, & Astin, 1996).
Controlling, or manipulative behaviour is one of the key traits of a personality disorder called psychopathy. Thomas Erikson: Psychopaths, they are drawn to control, they are drawn to power, they are drawn to attention as a part of their narcissistic behaviour.
Paranoid personality disorder (PPD) is a mental health condition marked by a long-term pattern of distrust and suspicion of others without adequate reason to be suspicious (paranoia). People with PPD often believe that others are trying to demean, harm or threaten them.
Type C personalities tend to be quite controlling, both of themselves and others. They don't like things to get out of hand and may appear stoic because they don't really want themselves to display a lot of emotion.
What does it mean to feel out of control? Dictionary.com defines out of control as: “out of hand; no longer under management, direction, or regulation; unmanageable or unruly.” Sooo yeah, when our emotions are out of control, it means we have a hard time managing them and keeping them under control.
Experts aren't sure of the exact cause of OCD. Genetics, brain abnormalities, and the environment are thought to play a role. It often starts in the teens or early adulthood. But, it can also start in childhood.
There are also conditions similar to OCD, such as hoarding disorder, skin-picking disorder, and hair-pulling disorder.