Behavioral issues disrupt everyday life in various settings like work, school, and home. These disruptive actions can cause issues within someone’s life and can show itself as the following:
- Not following the rules or being defiant toward authority
- Throwing a temper tantrum or being explosively angry
- Impulsive decision making
- Bullying others
- Lying, stealing, or theft
- Defying the law
- Struggling to regulate one’s anger and frustration
Potential Causes
There can be several elements at play that lead to behavioral challenges. Biological factors such as genetics, chemical imbalances, and injury can exacerbate behavioral concerns. Specific genes can impact the development and overall function of the brain. Certain gene variations may contribute to traits associated with short temperament, personality features, or impulsive behavior. Chemical imbalances can also have a strong effect on demeanor and mood. An imbalance in the body disrupts the normal communication between nerve cells. This affects one’s mood, emotions, and cognition. This can cause things like mood swings, anxiety, or depression. Lastly, brain injury, similar to chemical imbalances, can damage areas of the brain that regulate one’s emotions, cause impulsivity, and hinder well-adapted social functioning.
Environmental and psychological factors can also play a role in the challenges that accompany behavioral health. Complex trauma is one significant factor that can cause behavioral outbursts. Trauma can lead to an inability to regulate emotions, form secure attachments, or have healthy self-confidence. Adverse experiences can lead to an increased likelihood of substance use and risky behaviors. Mental health disorders can significantly impact one’s behavior. Disorders such as Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, PTSD, Bipolar Disorder, and many others can cause an imbalance in one’s mental state of mind and instability of one’s emotions. Finally, a lack of social support and family strain can also lead to poor behaviors due to stress and isolation. There are numerous causes for behavioral issues, but there are also numerous solutions to help combat one’s struggles and implement lasting change.
Steps to Healthier Behaviors
1. Identify the Behavior
To change one’s behavior, the negative behavior must be identified. This can be done by looking for patterns at home, school, or work that cause discord between yourself and others. This can look like an individual displaying aggression, blaming others, or being dishonest. Knowing what you would like to change can help pinpoint the change itself. 2.
2. Practice self-awarenes
Practicing self-awareness can be done by being intentionally thoughtful and aware of one’s actions. Strategies to assist with this can be done through relaxation techniques, mindfulness, or journaling one’s thoughts and feelings daily.
3. Develop Healthy Coping Skills
There are several ways to develop coping strategies to combat negative behaviors. Coping skills such as setting boundaries, exercising, deep breathing, and positive self-talk can be implemented into everyday life to replace a damaging coping skill with a positive one.
4. Set Realistic Goals to Change
Setting goals can help one stay motivated to work towards a healthier sense of self, not only for oneself but for those one cares about and loves. These goals should be specific to the individual, achievable, and small so that they can work towards the desired behavior.
5. Seek Support From Others
Depending on others when things become challenging can help to keep pursuing the achievements you want to accomplish. If a negative behavior occurs, you can have those you trust to lean on to help propel you forward and encourage you to continue to push towards healthier habits and positive behaviors.
6. Counseling
Counseling can be integral in decreasing their anger outbursts or risky behaviors. A counselor can provide a space for those to discuss behaviors, find insight, and work to implement positive habits that can help improve relationships with others and oneself.
Biblical Perspective on Behavioral Issues
In Genesis 3, sin entered into the world, and along with that sin came corruption, selfishness, disobedience, and behaviors that are inherent due to our fallen nature. Because of man’s sinful nature, we display behavioral issues that are outside of what God wants for us, which is to follow him and his Word. Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Scripture guides us to show kindness and self-control, not deceit and harm. Through the saving power of Jesus Christ, individuals can use scripture to point to the traits honoring not only to God, but to others and themselves. The Biblical solution to behavioral issues is found by accepting God’s grace on your mistakes and shortcomings. His grace and forgiveness meet us guided by love, a repentant heart, and new behaviors that reflect healthy relationships with self and others. By living according to God’s purposes, believers can overcome negative behaviors and reflect the heart of Christ.
