Looking for dark, character-driven novels about pressure, obsession, and self-destruction

I’m looking for books (or even a genre) that focus on the mental side of ambition and identity, especially stories where someone’s sense of self is tied way too closely to how well they’re performing and you can feel things starting to slip.

I recently read Trouble Off the Tee, and what stuck with me wasn’t the golf or the setting, but how uncomfortable and internal the whole thing felt. Most of the tension comes from being inside the main character’s head and watching him make small, bad choices that pile up over time. There’s no big heroic arc or neat redemption, just pressure, ego, and a lot of self-sabotage.

One thing I don’t see talked about much is how sex is used in the book. It’s not romantic and it’s not there to be hot  it’s awkward, transactional, sometimes compulsive, and clearly tied to power and avoidance. It felt like another way the character was trying (and failing) to escape himself.

I’m hoping to find more books that do this kind of thing:
– flawed, self-aware characters who still can’t get out of their own way
– sex used as part of the psychology, not a reward
– stories driven by pressure and obsession rather than action or plot twists
– a grounded, sometimes bleak tone

The setting doesn’t matter much to me  sports, work, art, academia, whatever  as long as it’s character-focused. I’m not really looking for inspirational stories, clean redemption arcs, or romance-heavy books.

If anything comes to mind that fits this vibe, I’d love to hear it.

THANK YOU