What are the reasons why people are too self-centered

Being too self-centered may be related to personal personality traits, upbringing environment, psychological defense mechanisms, cognitive biases, and certain psychological disorders.

1. Personality traits

Some people are born with a strong tendency towards self centeredness, which is a part of personality traits. These types of people may have been more concerned with their own needs and feelings since childhood, and are accustomed to thinking from their own perspective in interpersonal interactions. This trait itself is not a disease, but excessive development may affect social relationships. Improvement methods include consciously cultivating empathy skills, practicing empathy, and actively listening to others' perspectives in social situations.

II. Growing Environment

An individual's growth experience, especially their family upbringing during childhood, has a profound impact on the formation of self-awareness. Growing up in an environment of excessive indulgence or lack of boundary education, individuals may fail to learn to balance their own needs with those of others, leading to the formation of self-centered behavior patterns. This is a learned behavioral tendency that can be adjusted through psychological growth, learning social rules, and receiving interpersonal counseling.

III. Psychological Defense Mechanisms

When an individual faces setbacks, low self-esteem, or a lack of security, they may unconsciously activate psychological defense mechanisms to protect their fragile inner selves by displaying a strong sense of self. This is a way to cope with psychological stress, not a pathological state. After recognizing this pattern, it can be improved by enhancing confidence, establishing healthy stress coping strategies, and gradually reducing defenses in safe interpersonal relationships.

Fourth, cognitive bias

There is a self-centered cognitive bias, such as overconfidence in personal judgment, underestimation of others' contributions, or difficulty accepting different perspectives. This cognitive pattern will reinforce self behavior. Adjusting cognitive biases requires individuals to have a willingness to reflect, and techniques in cognitive-behavioral therapy can be attempted, such as recording and challenging their automated thinking, actively seeking and objectively evaluating external feedback.

V. Psychological Disorders

Some personality disorders or mental illnesses may have excessive self as one of their core characteristics. For example, narcissistic personality disorder has complex causes that may be related to genetics, neurobiology, and early traumatic experiences. It typically manifests as symptoms such as the need for continuous praise from others, lack of empathy, and inflated sense of power. Treatment should be conducted under the guidance of a psychiatrist or psychotherapist, and may include long-term psychological therapy such as empathetic focus therapy or schema therapy. Medication therapy is mainly used to address comorbid emotional issues such as depression or anxiety, and doctors may prescribe fluoxetine hydrochloride capsules, escitalopram oxalate tablets, or paroxetine hydrochloride tablets depending on the situation. Understanding the reasons behind one's own behavior is the first step towards change. If the self level has seriously affected work, study, or interpersonal relationships, and has caused sustained pain to oneself or others, it is recommended to seek professional psychological assessment. In daily life, one can try practicing mindfulness meditation to help observe one's own thinking patterns without judging them; Actively participate in team collaboration or volunteer service, learn to pay attention to collective goals and the feelings of others in specific actions; Regular self reflection can be achieved by writing a diary to record feelings and observations during social interactions, gradually cultivating a more balanced self-awareness and behavior. Establishing a healthy social support system and staying in touch with friends or family who can provide sincere feedback can also help gain different perspectives and promote personal growth.