Laurent Moor deciphers an unconscious psychological mechanism: behind the feeling of often being “on edge” lies a central value which structures the personality. Many will recognize themselves…
People who often say they are “at their wit’s end” have several very specific points in common. At the heart of their functioning, a central value structures their way of perceiving the world, interpreting situations and reacting to events. It is not a simple character trait, but a real cognitive filter. No one suspects it, but there is a “robot portrait” of tired people, explains Laurent Moor in Bel&Bien Ensemble.
This impression of saturation is easily attributed to external constraints. However, Laurent Moor offers a different reading: this feeling would firstly be linked to a specific mode of psychic functioning. It is not only the intensity of the situations that weighs, but the mental processing that is made of them. Some people analyze continuously, evaluate implications, seek consistency. Their cognitive system remains activated long after the situation itself.
At the heart of people prone to fatigue, a “central value” dominates, as the specialist explains: justice. “These are people for whom justice is essential” observes Laurent Moor. This value acts as a structuring benchmark. It organizes the hierarchy of priorities, guides judgments and influences the way of entering into relationships. When an event is perceived as unfair or inconsistent, internal tension arises in the body. This gap between principles and reality strongly mobilizes psychic resources.
Another characteristic of tired people according to the expert: “They have a feeling of guilt, they apologize constantly.” This posture is often accompanied by a need for control: anticipating helps reduce uncertainty and preserve a form of internal coherence. But this constant vigilance demands lasting attention. “These people spend their time, their energy trying to control the elements and they truly fight to control all the elements of their lives.”
On social networks, many Internet users recognized themselves in this portrait. Many talk about the importance of delegating, letting go of some control or allowing yourself not to be impeccable. They all point to the same thing: adjust your internal requirements to find more flexible functioning. Reread from this angle, this feeling of often being tired, “on edge” does not reflect weakness. It can signal strong inner coherence, a deep attachment to justice and intense psychological involvement. A demanding quality, which simply needs to be regulated.
