Definition

Noun: * Self-imposed distress: The act of causing oneself mental or emotional suffering, often through excessive worry, guilt, self-criticism, or dwelling on negative thoughts.

Usage

• "Self-torture" is an uncountable noun. It describes a state or process, not a single instance.
• It is used to describe a psychological state where a person is their own source of anguish.
• It often implies that the suffering is unnecessary and could be avoided.

Examples

• His constant replaying of the mistake was pure self-torture.
• She realized that worrying about things she couldn't change was a form of self-torture.
• The author described the character's guilt as a slow, deliberate self-torture.

Advanced Usage

• "To engage in self-torture": To actively participate in thoughts or behaviors that cause oneself distress.
  • By constantly comparing herself to others online, she was engaging in self-torture.
• The concept is often discussed in psychology and self-help contexts concerning negative thought patterns like rumination.

Variants and Related Words

• Self-flagellation (n): Literally means whipping oneself; used figuratively to mean severe self-criticism or blame. It is a stronger, more vivid synonym for "self-torture."
• Masochism (n): In a general (non-clinical) sense, it can refer to deriving pleasure from one's own pain or humiliation, which can overlap with the concept of self-torture.

Synonyms

• Self-punishment
• Self-torment
• Mental anguish (self-inflicted)

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "To be one's own worst enemy": To cause problems for oneself through one's own actions or thoughts. This idiom captures the essence of self-torture.
  • With his constant negativity, he was being his own worst enemy.
• "To beat oneself up (over something)": To criticize or blame oneself harshly.
  • Stop beating yourself up over a minor error.

Noun

1. self-imposed distress