2 Negative Side-Effects Of 'Flow States' That Aren't Talked About Enough

The line between being in a 'flow state' and burning the candle at both ends is very fine. Here's how to tell if it's turning into something harmful.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | December 27, 2024

Imagine being so immersed in something you love that hours feel like minutes. In such moments, for instance at work or in creative pursuits, it can feel like everything clicks and you're performing at your peak, completely engrossed in what you're doing. This is the flow state—a powerful mental zone where focus, skill and productivity align perfectly.

While the flow state can be beneficial to your well-being and performance, it can sometimes slip into an unhealthy obsession. When the pursuit of that peak performance becomes all-consuming, it can start to drain your energy, blur boundaries and take a toll on your mental health.

What once brought joy and fulfillment can turn into a "flow trap," leaving you stuck in a relentless cycle of pursuit. While empowering, this state can also create a false sense of invincibility, pulling you deeper into a trap of emotional exhaustion.

A 2022 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health confirms that while the flow state is often associated with well-being and reduced burnout, this relationship is still complex. If the flow state becomes addictive, it may result in workaholism or creative obsession, causing you stress instead of alleviating it.

Here's how to spot when passion turns into obsession and how to maintain personal balance before burnout sets in.

1. Your Passion Is Your Only Source Of Fulfillment

While passion can drive success and productivity, it can also start to overshadow other essential parts of your life. According to a 2015 study published in the Journal of Personality, there are two types of passion— harmonious and obsessive.

Harmonious passion involves being passionate in a balanced way, without it overwhelming other life priorities. In contrast, researchers suggest that obsessive passion occurs when an individual becomes driven to the point of compulsion, relying solely on their passion to fulfill their emotional and psychological needs.

Being obsessively passionate about work, a hobby or a project can also gradually shift your priorities, making it easy to neglect other important aspects of your life.

Research published in Psychology of Well-Being suggests that an all-consuming passion can lead to the unintentional sidelining of relationships, self-care and other essential personal responsibilities.

As you focus more on achieving success or progress in one area, other areas that typically sustain a well-rounded life can start to fade away. Sometimes, this obsession is driven by external pressures or the desire for validation. This shift in focus can exacerbate stress and burnout, impacting your overall well-being and life balance.

Maintaining harmony across all aspects of life is essential for your passion to remain positive and sustainable. To achieve this, you can start by attempting to engage with hobbies or activities that bring you joy, without the pressure of aiming for high performance or success.

You can also focus on cultivating other sources of fulfillment and emotional satisfaction. Engaging in activities such as volunteering, cultivating new friendships or pursuing personal growth outside of one's passion can provide a healthier balance.

Additionally, another way to cultivate more intention and self-awareness in one's day-to-day life is by creating a personal "priority checklist," where you can assess and rank your priorities regularly. This can help gauge which areas of your life need more attention and nurturing.

2. Your Self-Worth Is Tied To Your Passion

When doing what you love becomes addictive, it can gradually come to define how you see yourself. When you become so deeply attached to such pursuits, whether it's a career, hobby or personal goal, it can start to feel like it is your only purpose in life.

While passion is often associated with greater motivation and satisfaction, without balance, it can have negative consequences for your sense of self.

Research published in the European Journal of Social Psychology shows that people with obsessive passion tend to base their self-worth on their performance during an activity, which leads to self-esteem fluctuations based on their success or failure. In contrast, those with harmonious passion are less affected by their performance.

The obsessive mindset is unhealthy, as a drive for perfectionism can cause emotional exhaustion and even an identity crisis when things do not go as planned. This also creates a vicious cycle of low self-esteem and self-critical thinking that feed into each other when we inevitably fail to meet the unrealistic expectations we set for ourselves.

This stress and constant self-criticism can impact mental health by reducing your experience of positive emotions and life satisfaction over time. The key to escaping a flow trap lies in knowing that your passions should be a source of joy, not a measure of your worth.

Passion should support your overall well-being, not drain your energy. When channeled effectively, doing what you love can serve as a powerful driver of personal growth and happiness. By taking time to periodically evaluate your relationship with your passions, you can prevent the gradual buildup of stress and burnout.

It's crucial to remember the "why" behind your passions—the reasons you fell in love with them in the first place. While they may be a welcome escape, they should not take away from your life—only enhance it. This poignant reminder ensures that your passions continue to serve you positively, as long as you use them with care.

Take this science-backed test to assess how well you are taking care of yourself while pursuing your passions: Self-Care Inventory

A similar version of this article can also be found on Forbes.com, here.