Benefits of Being Self-Destructive

"I just don't see how someone could DO THAT to themselves!"
"I would NEVER let myself go like that."
"Why would someone want to kill themselves like that?"
"Why would anyone start smoking/get fat/cut themselves/gamble away their retirement?"
"Don't they know the pain they are causing themselves and their family?"
"How can they look themselves in the mirror?"
"How can you kill/rape/molest/injure/rob/abuse/harrass someone?"
"How can they live like that?"
"Why don't they just stop?"
"Why don't they just hide?"

Because. Because there are benefits to being self-destructive.

Huh? What-the? Benefits? No way.

Way.

Self-destructive behavior gives you:
A built-in excuse whenever you don't live up to a promise, expectation or goal.
A rationale for not trying something difficult or new.
An opportunity to blame others or circumstances instead of taking responsibility.
An automatic "off-the-hook" card.

Self-destructive behavior is:
A substitute for something more/less dangerous/legal.
Soothing.
Upsetting.
Mollifying.
Agitating.
Empowering.
Strengthening.
Weakening.
Manipulative.
Painful.
Painless.
Relaxing.
Energizing.
Fun.
Agonizing.
Expense.
Cheap.
Legal.
Illegal.
A time killer.
A day waster.
A life waster.

You engage in self-destructive behavior:
To generate sympathy, compassion, pity, and understanding.
To get attention.
To create obstacles.
To create obstacles so you then have something to overcome.
To explain.
To wipe the slate clean.
To right past wrongs.
To make wrong past rights.
To self-punish.
To punish others.
To send a signal to the world that there's a problem.
To wallow.
To face your fears.
To hide from your fears.
To comfort.
To distress.
To pleasure.
To pain.
To fulfill your own opinion of yourself.
To fulfill others' opinions of you.
To hit rock bottom.
To get help.
To have a place to progress from.
To negate all progress.
To improve.
To fail.
To "show them."
To block out.
To black out.
To remember.
To forget.
To indicate.
To learn.
To grow.
To change.
To prove something.
To disprove something.
To relieve.
To cause pressure.
To make right.
To make wrong.
To feel sad.
To feel depressed.
To feel elated.
To protect.
To expose.
To loosen inhibitions.
To tighten inhibitions.
To feel sorry for yourself.
To feel sorry for your parents.
To make your parents feel sorry for you.
To kill yourself.
To not kill yourself.
To mock someone.
To fly in the face of conventional wisdom.
To ignore warnings.


Because you were dared.
Because you spit on other people's feelings.
Because you want to be the drunkest, fattest, baddest.
Because God told you to.
Because the Pope told you to.
Because the Pope told you not to.
Because you are smart.
Because you are stupid.
Because you are healthy.
Because you are sick.
Because you are young.
Because you are old.
Because you have brothers and sisters.
Because you don't have brothers and sisters.
Because you're creative.
Because you're not creative.
Because you want what you can't have.
Because you have what you don't want.
Because you are who you don't want to be.
Because of something you did.
Because of something you didn't do.
Because you murdered/raped/molested/abused/attacked/hurt/robbed someone.
Because you were raped/molested/abused/attacked/hurt/robbed.
Because it's Monday.
Because it's not Monday.
Because it's hot.
Because it's cold.
Because it's sunny.
Because it's raining.
Because you live in America.
Because you live in Somalia.
Because you used to live in America and now live in Somalia.
Because your parents disappointed you.
Because your parents loved you.
Because your parents didn't love you.
Because you never knew your dad.
Because your dad abused you.
Because your dad molested you.
Because your dad neglected you.
Because your dad is just the most wonderful dad in the world.
Because your dad was just the most wonderful dad in the world until your brother was born.
Because your dad was just the most wonderful dad in the world, and now he's dead.
Because your mom died.
Because your dog died.
Because your plant died.
Because your foot is tingling.
Because you're constipated.
Because you wet the bed when you were a child.
Because you still wet the bed.
Because you got a D in math.
Because you got an A in math.
Because you're unique.
Because you're just like everyone else.
Because you're human.
Because you're inhuman.
Because you drive a Mercedes.
Because you don't drive a Mercedes.
Because you need to do the laundry.
Because you finished the laundry.
Because your mother did your laundry.
Because you want to make your mother cry.
Because you want to block out the memory of your mother crying.
Because it's been an hour since you last did something self-destructive.
Because you haven't been sober in over a year.
Because you've been sober for 634 days, 12 hours and 45 minutes.
Because it's cool.
Because it's not cool.
Because you're white.
Because you're black.
Because you want to go to prison/rehab.
Because you want to stay up.
Because you want to sleep.
Because it's there.
Because it's not there.
Because it makes sense.
Because it makes no sense.

Because, like everything else in life, there are a million reasons/motivators/rationalizations/excuses.

Why?
Because.