It’s not easy being labeled as high-maintenance. Your colleagues don’t look forward to working with you, and your family and friends are never short of complaints about your behavior. You’ve committed yourself to continual introspection and other efforts to change, but there’s just no getting over certain ticks.
Have you ever considered that maybe the attributes they consider ‘high-maintenance’ could be pointing to another matter entirely? Perhaps these ticks are more physiological than you thought, and your mental prowess alone won’t suffice to overcome them.
If you identify with these three characteristics, you need medical help, not a personality overhaul.
You Hear Everything
You’ve told one to many colleagues to stop breathing so loudly. That new refrigerator in the office pantry? You’ve mentioned in passing that it’s too noisy. All this time, nobody else seems bothered by the unusual loudness coming from supposedly noiseless objects.
Noise sensitivity could be a matter of preference, but it could also be a serious health concern. There are different types of noise sensitivity. Some people are triggered by certain frequencies only, while some exhibit intolerance for sounds produced by daily activities like eating or sniffing.
Seeking professional help will determine the particular condition you might be struggling with. Treatments like sound generators might mean the difference in your relationships.
You’re Excessively Nervous
You micromanage. Your colleagues expect you to nag them until they fulfill your requests. The stress at work and at home drives you to the point of helplessness, and you can’t understand how anybody can be relaxed when so many things can go wrong.
Everybody says you’re high-strung. You’ve never considered until now that you could be suffering from an anxiety disorder. If the overwhelming feeling of doom follows you despite yoga, meditation, and even a vacation in a stress-free environment, you’ll need professional help to deal with your anxiety.
Anxiety disorders are complex conditions to manage. Self-diagnosing and self-medication can be dangerous and don’t guarantee good results. A medical professional can better determine the kind of help you need so you can finally stop feeling like the sky will fall on your head.
You Talk Too Much
It sounds trivial, but not when it causes problems. People remark that you only talk and never listen. You’ve received complaints that you tend to go on and on, and with a sense of urgency that makes it difficult to interrupt. You go off-topic frequently, too, and conversing with you is stressful.
If you’re an avid fan of espresso, perhaps cut back a shot or two. Quadruple shots do tend to trigger chattiness. However, if this isn’t the case, and self-control always abandons you, a professional diagnosis might help. Excessive talking characterized by impatience, a nagging need to interrupt others, and restlessness point to adult ADHD. Any difficulty regulating your behavior, even if you want to after you’ve been prompted by a friend, warrants closer inspection.
Finding Answers
By no means should these be used as an excuse for any behavior that your family and friends consider toxic. These suggestions are mere starting points on which you can help yourself and receive help if you do get an official diagnosis. At the end of the day, it’s not only you who needs to realize that you’re not high-maintenance, only highly misunderstood.
