Hello, questioner! I'm Jiang 61, and I'm excited to help you!
Thank you so much for trusting us with your story! We're excited to help you find answers. You ask, "Is self-harming during an argument a sign of a violent tendency?"
"How can we put an end to this kind of behavior?" This is a question worth pondering!
Let's dive in and find the answer together!
1. Boyfriend
1⃣️, self-harm twice
You said: There have been two conflicts with your boyfriend in the past week. In the first conflict, I wanted him to make me tea, but he didn't do it, and I became unhappy and cold. He didn't know how to deal with my long period of coldness, so he slapped himself to vent his anger. I stopped him, but he became even more agitated and started banging his head against the wall.
In the second conflict, we had a verbal argument. He was so passionate about what he was saying that he started banging his head against the wall!
Self-harm
On the surface, it seems that your boyfriend took action when he didn't know how to deal with your emotional outbursts. But in reality, it was a way for him to please you and an emotional outlet for him.
Communication style
On a different note, there's room for improvement in your communication style and mutual trust and understanding. This could be the reason for your boyfriend's emotional outbursts.
2⃣️, personality
You said: The two of you have been together for more than four years, and you have been living apart for the past six months. He is the most gentle and tolerant person you could ever hope to meet!
I have a strong personality, and when I encounter something I don't like, I can be a bit cold and violent. But my boyfriend is the best! He can make me feel better by coaxing me, and we can resolve most conflicts within half a day, rarely taking more than a day. I think we generally get along harmoniously and happily, and we don't argue much. My boyfriend has never self-harmed, and I'm so grateful for that!
You say that your boyfriend is the sweetest, gentlest, most tolerant person. He's always there for you when you have conflicts and is always ready to comfort you. You rarely argue and get along so well! I suspect that your boyfriend is a calm and pleasing personality type.
2. Causes of self-harm
Let's dive into the fascinating topic of self-harm!
1⃣️, due to personality
You said: After communicating, it turned out that my boyfriend often compromised and listened to me. I expressed myself in some inappropriate ways, and he felt uncomfortable but never told me. Is this the reason for his self-harm behavior after long-term suppression?
Absolutely! This is exactly why he was self-harming.
After you communicated, you understood his thoughts, and he focused on your feelings and suppressed his own thoughts. This is great because it shows that he is a pleasing and calm personality. Secondly, it is indeed the result of his long-term suppression of his emotions, but it is not a behavior that only occurs after contact with you. It is related to the living conditions in his original family, which means there is hope for change!
Let's dive into the wonderful world of calm-type personalities!
Now, let's dive into the wonderful world of the calm personality type!
The calm personality type has the following characteristics:
Characteristics: slow and deliberate, cautious, gentle and stable, and seeking harmony!
Strengths: They're easy to get along with, adaptable, thoughtful, and tolerant!
Weaknesses: Slow and lazy, not easily repentant, not expressive, indifferent bystander.
These individuals have the potential to become some of the most fascinating people you'll ever meet!
People with a pleasing personality are wonderful!
People with a pleasing personality are truly amazing! They're always thinking of others and putting their own needs aside to make others happy. When they succeed in pleasing others, they're so happy to be able to make someone else smile.
Let's dive into the fascinating world of behavior, language, and emotional expression!
People with a pleasing personality are always ready to apologize, show humility, and plead their case. They're also very dependent and exuberant! In speech, they often say things like "It's all my fault," "I'm not worthy of love," "As long as you agree," and "I don't care."
In terms of emotional expression, they often show a range of feelings, from helplessness and sadness to anxiety, dissatisfaction, and even suppressed anger.
Let's dive into the fascinating topic of self-perception!
People with a pleasing personality have a low self-esteem, lack self-confidence, and are detached from themselves. They focus on the expectations placed on them, which gives them a unique opportunity to grow!
This makes them prone to physical and mental exhaustion, which means they're always revolving around the people around them! They have their own thoughts but no self, which makes them unique. They want to refuse but cannot say it, want to vent but fear offending others, and will vent their emotions by self-harm. They appear weak and insignificant in most relationships, but they're actually strong and significant!
2⃣️, the influence of the original family
I'm so excited to tell you all about how your boyfriend's behaviour relates to his family of origin! It's so interesting. It seems that the way he self-harms is a desperate act he resorts to when he can't diffuse your emotions.
? Dominant parents
It's clear that at least one of his parents is a very strong-willed and unreasonable person who is prone to losing their temper at will. This is a person with an accusatory and aggressive personality, which is fascinating to observe!
Now, let's dive into the fascinating world of people with an accusatory personality!
The accusatory personality type is great at pointing out flaws in others, and they're not afraid to speak their mind. The controlling personality type is all about being respected and listened to, and they're not afraid to speak up when they feel their ideas are being ignored.
The accusatory person often expresses this verbally, saying things like "It's all your fault" or "What's wrong with you?" The true intention of the accusatory person is to protect themselves by blaming others or the environment—and they're usually pretty good at it!
Blaming is a great way to show contempt for others, consider your own personal situation and feelings in comparison, and not care much about the feelings of others.
A critical parent will have one or more people who are compliant. This forms a pattern of communication in the family, which is great because it means there's a way to improve things!
My boyfriend is a people-pleaser because he's determined to make his parents happy. He'll do his best to please them, and if he can't handle it, he'll take action to win their forgiveness. That's the real reason for his self-harm.
People with an aggressive personality are amazing!
A radical personality has so many amazing qualities!
These folks are all about taking action, living life to the fullest, and achieving their goals. They're driven, energetic, and always ready to take on the world!
This person is courageous and decisive, and they never give up! They are undaunted by difficulties and self-disciplined.
Weaknesses: hot-tempered, lacking in empathy, too stubborn, arrogant, and complacent.
These are just a few of the areas that could use some improvement!
3. Emotional development
It's time to dive into the exciting world of emotions!
1. Your thoughts
You said, "After two conflicts, I also decided to adjust my strong personality, pay attention to communication, and get along with others. I let my boyfriend communicate and express more, understand him, and this way of handling things put an end to his self-harm behavior!
From your reflection, we can see that you have an amazing sense of self-awareness, constantly introspecting and being aware of yourself. You are an excellent partner for your boyfriend! You have used a fantastic way to handle the relationship.
You can absolutely change your boyfriend's self-harm behavior! It just requires good communication and empathy between you, as well as good emotional management on your part. You're already aware that his two self-harm incidents stemmed from the way you expressed your emotions, so you're already one step ahead!
Managing your emotions well is an important lesson for improving your relationship and keeping your boyfriend emotionally stable. And it's a great one! Managing emotions means:
It's time to recognize those emotions!
This is the first step in emotion management, and it's a great one! When you have an emotion, recognize what emotion it is, such as anxiety, anger, sadness, etc.
Absolutely! Accepting your emotions is key.
Healthy emotions are those that align perfectly with the situation at hand. When your emotions match up with what's going on around you, the best thing you can do is tell yourself, "My current emotions are totally normal," and then go with it!
And the best part is, when you do this, the emotional tension will decrease, and your mind will naturally return to a state of calm!
Expressing emotions is a great way to connect with others and show them how you feel. It's a wonderful way to share your thoughts and feelings with the people you love.
Emotional expression is all about sharing your own emotions! It's a chance to say "I" and use phrases like "I feel...", "My feelings are...".
Cultivating emotions is a great way to learn more about yourself and your feelings. It's a journey that can lead to greater self-awareness and emotional stability.
The great news is that you can cultivate and practice emotion management in the following ways.
(1) And there's more! Living a regular life will also stabilize your emotions.
2) Get out there and find your passion! Let positive emotions drive you, love yourself and life, and feel the beauty of life!
3) There's nothing more rewarding than caring for and taking care of others, letting love dwell in your heart, and helping others!
4) Get out there and enjoy nature! It'll open your mind and help you feel calm and in control of your emotions.
5) Make executive friends and spend time with emotionally stable people to reduce emotional interference and fluctuations. It's a great way to boost your mood!
If you are emotionally stable and your boyfriend does not feel sorry for you, you'll be able to avoid self-attack behavior. When you can communicate well and your boyfriend expresses his thoughts and feelings about you, you'll be able to avoid internal pressure and emotional outbursts!
This is a fantastic way to improve his behaviour!
2⃣️, Relationship development
You ask: We expect to be in different places for two years or longer, with little time to see each other. Without regular contact, it will be difficult to maintain a healthy relationship. Should we continue or cut our losses? Can we get married?
The future of your relationship is bright! It all depends on how well you get along with each other. You have a great sense of awareness, a willingness to change for the better, and a desire to empathize with your boyfriend and help him improve his behavior.
I truly believe that with your joint efforts, you can both change!
Time and distance are not important factors in the development of a relationship. The most important things are whether you can be together, whether you trust each other, and whether you can be honest with each other. If you can do all of that, you can absolutely continue!
I absolutely believe you can be sincere with each other, improve yourselves, handle your relationship well, and walk the path of your life well. Just decide as you like!
And finally, I wish the original poster a happy life!
Comments
This situation sounds incredibly challenging and emotional for both of you. It's important to address the selfharm behavior immediately, as it's a serious issue that needs professional help.
I'm really worried about your boyfriend's actions. Selfharm is not a healthy way to deal with emotions, and it seems like he's feeling very distressed. We should consider seeking counseling or therapy to help him cope better.
It's great that you're willing to adjust your personality and improve communication. However, his safety should be the priority. Have you thought about talking to a professional counselor together to work on healthier ways to handle conflicts?
The fact that he has never selfharmed before but is doing so now is alarming. I think it's crucial to understand what has changed and why he's reacting this way. Perhaps there are underlying issues that need to be addressed, and therapy could provide that insight.
You've been together for a long time, and it's clear you care deeply for each other. But living apart can strain a relationship, especially when there are such intense emotional reactions. Maybe discussing your future plans and how to support each other during this separation could help strengthen your bond.