The behavior of 'people-pleasing' (wanting to please at all costs) harms mental and relational health in the long term by causing exhaustion, resentment, guilt when setting boundaries, and self-esteem that is entirely dependent on the approval of others.

noli's read

The concept of 'people-pleasing,' often studied in psychology through the notion of 'unmitigated communion,' is soundly validated by research. An observational study conducted by researchers Helgeson and Fritz (1998) demonstrates that consistently prioritizing the needs of others to the detriment of one's own is strongly correlated with psychological distress and emotional exhaustion. Furthermore, work on the self-determination theory by Deci and Ryan (supported by numerous empirical studies) confirms that self-esteem dependent on external approval is particularly unstable and generates stress. The assertion that difficulty in setting boundaries creates guilt and fatigue is also supported by literature on assertiveness and emotional regulation. Dr. Julie Smith's analysis is therefore very accurate, without exaggeration, and relies on behavioral mechanisms widely documented in the psychology of well-being.

the sources

No named source held this one up — that absence is part of the verdict.