Control Freak Personality Disorder
  The term Control Freak describes a person who attempts to dictate how everything is done around them.Control freaks are often perfectionists defending themselves against their own inner vulnerabilities. They use power over others to escape an inner emptiness. When a control freak’s pattern is broken, “the Controller is left with a terrible feeling of powerlessness … Control freaks appear to have some similarities to codependents, in the sense that the latters’ fear of abandonment leads to attempts to control those they are dependent on. Control freaks rarely know that they are one. They believe that they are helping people with their “constructive criticism” or taking over a project because “no one else will do it right.” |
Here are eight signs of a control freak one:
Believes that if someone would change one or two things about themselves, she/he’d be happier. So she/he tries to “help them” change this behavior by pointing it out, usually over and over. Micromanages others to make them fit her/his (often unrealistic) expectations. She/he doesn’t believe in imperfection and she/he doesn’t think anyone else should either. Judges others’ behavior as right or wrong and passive-aggressively withhold attention until they fall in line with her/his expectations. Sitting in silent judgment is a master form of control. Offers “constructive criticism” as a veiled attempt to advance her/his own agenda. Presents worst-case scenarios in an attempt to influence someone away from certain behaviors and toward others. This is also called fear mongering. Gets a hard time with ambiguity and being OK with not knowing something. Intervenes on behalf of people by trying to explain or dismiss their behaviors to others. |
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