The 5 types of jealousy and their anatomy

We have all felt them at some point with greater or lesser intensity. And, likewise, we have been victims of those people who set their sights on us full of envy, or overprotection in the case of romantic partners. Even so, there are different types of jealousy that you should know about.

Sometimes their excessive behavior can become a clear threat to us. Sometimes they make us fall into an abyss of control and negative emotions that can affect our psychological and personal integrity. Experts usually distinguish jealous people from the so-called “coelopaths”, where they include those personalities who are already approaching the plane of the disease where other types of problems are hidden.

Types of jealousy

Although each type of jealousy is different, they all share a common denominator: envy and possessiveness. That is why it is useful to describe all the classes that are known so far, to know how to identify them in the different areas of daily life. Let’s get to know them.

1. Childhood jealousy

Jealousy between siblings is very common in families. Although there are often individual differences, It is common for many children to feel emotionally frustrated thinking that their parents pay more attention and offer more affection to their other siblings. A situation that can sometimes cause discomfort and deterioration in the home due to possible non-adaptive behaviors or aggressive behaviors, which must be taken into account to treat in time.

In these cases Parents must know how to resolve these situations. It is advisable, for example, to establish a balance of treatment between siblings, without preferences, to praise the positive aspects of children whenever possible, to increase common activities, to withdraw attention when faced with displays of tantrums or negativity, to respond calmly to episodes of jealousy, avoiding shouting or stridency, etc.

2. Work jealousy

Almost 40% of people have experienced jealousy from their co-workers at some point. These people place responsibility for their failures on others., are incapable of maintaining internal control over their own performance and see in others abilities that they lack. They do not know how to manage their emotions, their colleagues are rivals with qualities and skills that they would like to have, and that they do not even consider developing.

Their self-concepts are usually made up of a messy puzzle of deficiencies, of insecurities and weaknesses that they hide with challenge and rivalry. A characteristic that, as we have pointed out, seems to be more evident in women in work contexts, with other women being precisely the focus of their jealousy.

3. Self-actualization jealousy

This is a type of jealousy that appeals to a set of abstract ideas about what personal development, happiness and self-actualization are. Here it is usually perceived that the other lives life with greater intensity and, in general, more happily.

Comparisons with the usual trend: the life project with that of other people, one’s own partner with that of a friend, etc. This jealousy is based on prejudices about lives and activities related to life success.such as travel, promotions at work, or a lavish wedding.

4. Couple jealousy

Jealousy is common in the context of couples; it is considered normal to the extent that neither of them is coerced or assaulted by excessive or pathological behavior. But, sometimes, complex situations arise where distrust begins to be the fundamental pillar of the relationshipwhere suffering and the first cracks appear in the couple.

5. Pathological jealousy

People called celopaths often repeatedly imagine that their partners are going to betray them.they look for continuous signs of these unfounded ideas, they monitor, persecute and control, they have an obsessive fear of being abandoned.

Likewise, if we look within the rest of the categories of daily life, jealousy can be classified as pathological as long as the subject’s behavior represents a clear detriment to the well-being of others. At work, for example, a pathologically jealous person would harm the chain by trying to be above the one who is the fruit of his envy.

The common factor

What is behind these personalities? They have a clear insecurity in themselveslittle confidence and a very low self-esteem that makes them believe that they are going to be abandoned or simply be inferior to another. Faced with this feeling of inner fragility, one sometimes reacts with pathological control, projecting fears and anxieties on one’s own partner.

They pretend to be everything for the other, the most successful and accomplished, thus demonstrating a lack of understanding and empathy.

You might be interested…