I read this answer, which formulated my behavior quite well, that is to say, I am a button pusher.
I have a tendency to critique someone's arguments for being poor, without having any interest or opinion on the conclusion. This includes both, pointing out logical fallacies and question their premises.
If someone presents an opinion, I will gladly, and sometimes knowingly, assume the opposite opinion for "the sake of argument". I have rationalized this to myself, as helping people think through their ideas, and make sure they are rigorous under attack (people rarely seem to appreciate my completely selfless help :)). Someone asked me, "how would you like it, if people said such and such to you", to which I answered that I truly wish for that, and that I try to hold myself to the same standards.
Admittedly, it doesn't have to be an opinion. It can just be some thing they heard that they found interesting, and now I have to argue why it isn't interesting.
I am sometimes conscious of this, and I sometimes choose to let it go, but rarely, and it hurts every time. I have a few very good, very long term friends, with whom I've learned not to do this, to some extent anyways. A friend told me recently, that we do nothing but argue. To which I said something like, "and if we stop, I'd get bored.", which really is true.
It has become a meme during lunch at work, that whenever I start talking, (some) people go "Oh no!", "Here we go", or "I can't be borthered with this".
To summarize; discussion is like a drug to me, so if there is a way where I can keep taking this drug, without the alienating consequences I'd love that. However, if someone knows another way to deal with this, I'd be open to it. I am 28, and living in Scandinavia.
To be honest, this feels like a therapy session, so I don't know if this is the correct forum, but it is between other people and me. I appreciate any and all suggestions.