Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour. It is a wide-ranging discipline that includes many different specialized areas, such as clinical psychology, social psychology and developmental psychology.
Rage quitting is a form of self-harm and can lead to psychological distress. It can also lead to poor decision-making and unhelpful behavioural patterns.
1. It’s a form of self-harm
A rage quit is an angry exit from a game, usually done in frustration. It is often accompanied by a screen message that says something like “YOU LOST!” or “SCREAMING SCUM!” It can also be referred to as Save Scumming.
Regardless of the reason, it can be considered a form of self-harm. This is because it can cause physical harm such as scarring or abrasions, and can also be emotionally distressing. In addition, it can take time and energy away from other things that a person may value. It can also be a sign of underlying mental health issues such as borderline personality disorder, depression or eating disorders.
While it is not uncommon to hear about people quitting their jobs in a fit of anger, this is generally not the case in real life. The reason for this is that a job has a sunk cost and a vested interest, which makes it difficult to just walk away from. That being said, Sajeet Pradhan, a researcher at the Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli, has observed that young workers tend to quit their jobs more spontaneously than older ones.
In addition, a person’s dissatisfaction with their job often builds up over time until they reach a breaking point. A person might rage quit in response to a specific event or situation, such as an abusive manager or a toxic workplace culture. For example, Alibel, a Venezuelan migrant who moved to Argentina in 2019, quit her job selling cars over the phone as soon as she discovered it was a fraudulent scheme.
This was especially true because her employer had already stolen money from her before she started working there. It is also possible that a person might rage quit to protect their in-game reputation or score. In addition, a person might rage quit to avoid having to deal with the psychological discomfort of cognitive dissonance.
Cognitive dissonance occurs when a person’s beliefs conflict with one another. For example, someone who plays a video game might overestimate their own skill level (the Dunning–Kruger effect). This could lead to them experiencing psychological discomfort when they lose frequently. To reduce this discomfort, they might start to believe that everyone else who loses is a no-skill spamming scrub. This belief can then be used as justification for a rage quit.
2. It’s a form of self-sabotage
Rather than quitting and walking away from the problem, a rage quitter will attempt to destroy or alter the situation through their actions. The reason for this is that they often believe their behavior will create a more positive outcome than simply walking away or refusing to play.
Rage quitting is a form of self-sabotage because it undermines your ability to complete tasks. It’s also a way to avoid facing your problems or taking responsibility for them. The problem is that sabotaging behaviors can be hard to stop because they give you some sense of control in the face of a difficult situation. For example, if you have a problem with your weight, you may sabotage yourself by binging or skipping meals or by avoiding exercise. This gives you a temporary sense of control, but the negative impact on your health and relationships is much greater.
In the case of rage quitting, the action is usually taken to protect the editor’s reputation or personal pride. This could be a small edit that they disagree with, a discussion in which their point of view is not listened to or agreed upon, or even an unfavorable article review. With games such as League of Legends that feature leaderboards and player statistics, these actions can have a huge impact on a person’s ranking. This leads to a feeling of psychological discomfort known as cognitive dissonance. In order to reduce this feeling, they will assert that other players are no-skill spamming scrubs and that the game is unbalanced.
The sabotage may also take the form of avoidance, procrastination, or retaliation. The underlying cause of these behaviors is a lack of emotional intelligence and skills. It is important to recognize these sabotaging behaviors and work to improve your emotional self-management so that you can achieve your goals and dreams.
Although the stories of overworked DJs thumbing their noses at abusive bosses are entertaining, it’s not always feasible or practical for someone to quit a bad job without a back-up plan. In fact, a lot of people don’t have a choice and end up working in jobs that they don’t like. Whether it’s due to poor management or an inconvenient location, many people find themselves stuck in jobs they hate and fantasize about leaving them in dramatic fashion.
3. It’s a form of self-sabotage
When people rage quit, they’re often doing so to protect their self-image and their ego. If you find yourself regularly getting sucked into the cycle of self-sabotage, whether it’s procrastinating on your dream project or picking fights with your partner, it might be time to consider addressing the underlying issues that lead you to act in ways that are so damaging to your own well-being.
Fortunately, it’s usually not too difficult to break the pattern of self-sabotage. One way is to learn how to manage your emotions and to practice mindfulness meditation and emotional intelligence. Another is to start investing more of your time and energy into healthy activities like exercise, a fulfilling hobby or a relationship with a healthy person that will make you feel better about yourself.
For those who struggle with self-sabotage at work, it’s important to understand the root causes of the problem and to address any underlying issues. This could include identifying any childhood relationship patterns that have carried over into your current relationships, as well as examining any distorted beliefs that are sabotaging your success. It may also be helpful to try a variety of stress management techniques such as journaling, meditating and learning how to communicate your needs in a healthy manner.
Rage quitting is a form of self-sabotage. It is a reaction to feeling undervalued, frustrated and not being treated fairly by others. It is not a sustainable strategy for success in the long run and can lead to feelings of regret and resentment in the future.
There is a whole culture around rage quitting, especially in video games, where it’s called “trolling”. This involves deliberately irritating others in a game to cause them to get angry enough to quit. It’s a poor form of sportsmanship, but it can be fun and gratifying for those involved to think that they have spoofed the other players into quitting the game.
Unfortunately, rage quitting is also a common workplace behavior. It can be caused by a number of factors, from lax health and safety standards to exploitative working conditions and abusive managers. In the US, where most jobs are at-will, many people have little choice but to rage quit when things go wrong in the workplace. The problem is that when a person rage quits, they’re leaving everyone in the lurch. It’s important for employers to look at the reasons behind a rage quit and to take steps to address any underlying problems.
4. It’s a form of self-sabotage
People self-sabotage in a variety of ways. Some do it in the form of substance or food addictions that cost them their health and relationships. Others do it in the form of negative thought patterns that undermine their confidence and self-esteem. Harmful thought patterns can be difficult to identify and change. But noticing when you are tempted to act against your best interests can be a first step toward changing them. To help you notice when your thoughts are self-defeating, try keeping a journal of your experiences and what was on your mind at the time. This practice can help you discover the underlying reasons for your self-sabotaging behaviors.
One common way that people sabotage themselves is by quitting their jobs in the heat of anger. This type of behavior is especially prevalent among millennials, who tend to be more spontaneous in their job-searching. However, many experts say that this is simply a result of their lower expectations for work satisfaction and the fact that they haven’t yet built up a track record in their field.
When it comes to rage quitting, the reason behind it is often linked to feelings of frustration and humiliation. This is particularly true in team-based online games where players’ performance is publicly displayed on leaderboards and forums. In addition, some people rage quit because they feel that their performance is not up to standard or that the match was unfair.
In these cases, it can be helpful to talk with a counselor who specializes in self-sabotage. These therapists can provide a safe environment where you can express your feelings and learn new ways to manage conflict in your life.
The most effective way to break free from the shackles of rage-quitting is to recognize it as a form of self-sabotage and start looking for more constructive ways to channel your energy. Ultimately, the most powerful thing you can do is commit to practicing self-compassion and learning to appreciate your own strengths.
For Alibel, this meant recognizing that she was raging against her boss because her company’s Covid-19 policy was putting her and her family at risk. It also helped her realise that she had no real choice but to quit. But, she says, a lot of people don’t have the luxury to quit their jobs at will. That’s why it’s important for managers to create an environment where employees can thrive.
