subject: Passive-Aggressive Behavior – Introduction, Causes and Symptoms [print this page] Passive-Aggressive Behavior Introduction, Causes and Symptoms
Passive aggressive behavior involves expression of one's true, negative feelings but in a passive way, that is indirectly. Even if such a person is genuinely angry or upset over a situation or person, he or she may not express their true feelings, but would instead hide them and show just the opposite. At first glance, they may appear to be caring and considerate, but their actions may turn out otherwise.
This is basically a personality disorder for which both nature (genetics) and nurture (upbringing) play an important role. Upbringing and environmental factors are more responsible here because this usually takes place when a child is not allowed to express his or her actual feelings and opinions.
Therefore, this disorder starts developing right from the childhood, during which a child is controlled to behave and say just like his or her parents would want him to. The child then suppresses his or her emotions, due to the fear that the parents would scold or punish.
When an individual with this disorder is made to do tasks in a particular situation, they seem to be considering every other person's needs and feelings. On the contrary, they may work against it, just to spoil everything for others. To be with this kind of a person may result in feelings of despair, frustration, offense and extreme confusion.
If you have a colleague, friend or spouse who has this disorder, you may end up having low self esteem, as even though they may not verbally upset you, but their non-verbal behavior would be highly disturbing. Such people usually have an excuse for everything that may go wrong due to them. On some occasions, they would be conscious of how they have messed up a situation, but on others they might be completely unfamiliar.
The worst part may seem that at times, such people may assume that they are working in your favor, while doing the exact opposite. The following are the characteristics of such individuals:
They may avoid responsibility to a great extent and even any such situation where they may have to fulfill it such as being in a relationship. They have inconsistent behavioral patterns, may express extreme bitterness towards everyone and be highly argumentative and non conformist.
