Is It Possible To Be Too Responsible?

Most of us wake up every morning thinking about all the things we “must” do, “need” to do, or “should” do. This burdens us with responsibilities and obligations. But can a person be too responsible?

It is good to have responsibility. It is actually impossible to live without them. However, if you do not know how to handle all aspects of your responsibilities, it is easy to get into harmful thoughts and behaviors.

In fact, this great sense of responsibility is linked to many issues. Anxiety, depression, obsession, eating disorders and communication problems are all possible consequences of an overwhelming sense of responsibility.

Characteristics of responsible people

To be responsible is to be aware of and committed to your obligations. But for someone who feels overly responsible for things, there may be other mental health issues.

Perfectionism

Responsibility means wanting to fulfill obligations. Most people like to be effective and get good results. Yet there are some who are looking for perfection.

The problem with this is that perfection is subjective. It is only based on what each individual considers ideal. Perfectionists tend to set the standard very high, and until they reach it, they do not feel that their work is done.

As a result, they spend a lot of time trying to reach their goal and end up behaving in a very rigid and potentially controlling way. However, they suffer all the time they are working towards their goal because they have not achieved it yet. At the same time, the feeling of insecurity and lack of self-confidence grows . Perfectionists are seldom happy with the results, and they consider every little mistake to be a personal mistake.

To be too demanding

People who are very responsible also tend to be overly demanding. They want to take on many different things at once, often because they feel that is the only way they will be done in the “right way”. They are very hard on themselves, trying to overcome any adversity and fulfill all obligations and create demands that are potentially impossible to fulfill.

Being demanding and responsible can be a kind of trap. The goal begins to surpass yourself or others, instead of fulfilling certain obligations. When that happens, you feel frustrated, ashamed and guilty if a situation arises or the results are not what you expect.

Expectations

Having responsibilities and obligations means fulfilling certain expectations. Whether it’s completing an important work project or picking up a package for a relative, it means that someone expects you to do something. When you are a responsible and demanding perfectionist, there is no chance that you can fail in your mission.

People who are very responsible have very high expectations of themselves. As with everything we have already mentioned, this seemingly positive trait has a dark side. Yes, high expectations can help you reach your goals. But what if you do not achieve them? Things often do not turn out exactly as you expect, and after investing all your time and energy, it can be devastating not to meet expectations.

Consequences of being too responsible

Responsibility inevitably leads to having a firmer idea of ​​what is right. It also leads to more concerns. So the greater the responsibility, the more damaging the consequences can be if they are not handled properly.

The psychological consequences of being too responsible

Concern is simply predicting future events. If you focus only on whether you succeed or not, get the desired results or are able to overcome obstacles, you will become anxious.

In fact, a joint study from Hiroshima University and the University of Central Florida found that responsibility is the common denominator for generalized anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Researchers identified three main types of responsibility: the subjective need to care for and protect others, the effort used to find a solution to a problem, and guilt (sense of responsibility for everything).

They also found that the latter was the one that caused the participants the most anxiety. This is because it constantly involves thinking about the consequences of their actions on the environment, which in turn causes more worries and more feelings of responsibility.

Social consequences of being too responsible

As we mentioned above, people who are too responsible demand a lot of themselves. Thus , they also tend to demand a lot from others.

They believe that everyone should share the rigid belief and the narrow perception of what is right. It is difficult for them to understand the behavior that is different from their own. Therefore, very few are able to meet their own expectations.

In short, yes, you can be too responsible. People with excessive sense of responsibility have a distorted and narrow view of reality. They take on commitments that may not even exist, and they demand success of their own. If you think this describes your personality, it is important to learn how to prioritize and identify what you can actually take on and what you are realistically capable of. You need to know your own limits, otherwise you will feel anxious and trigger anxiety in those around you.