Today perfectionism is seen more as a virtue than a flaw, yet can the pursuit of perfection become something crazy and irrational?Yes, you can. In fact, when perfectionism becomes somewhat paralyzing, it can be atelophobia, a mental illness related to anxiety disorders.
Atelophobia is the fear of being imperfect, not doing something correctly, not being good enough, this occurs when a person’s perceived expectations do not correspond to reality, it is an irrational and obsessive form of perfectionism that can lead to a paralyzing inaction and cause various stress-related health problems.
- Due to atelophobia.
- The person does not meet the standard he sets.
- So his relationships are seriously affected.
- Also.
- When the person realizes that they have not achieved their goal.
- It is normal to feel overwhelmed by negatively charged emotions.
A person with atelophobia is afraid of error, of inadvertently making mistakes, so the simplest task can become a real torture because of the level of resources that the person implements to supervise it, with little or no risk.
There are many psychological symptoms that we can identify as typical of atelophobia, such as avoidance behaviors, feelings of helplessness, extreme anxiety and fear, fear of losing control, confusion, irritability and lack of concentration.
Physical symptoms such as rapid breathing, dry mouth, palpitations, nausea, headache or excessive sweating may also occur.
The true cause of atelophobia is unknown, there may be a genetic propensity or it may come from a traumatic event, however, it seems that in most cases this is a learned response that begins in childhood and intensifies over the years, becoming chronic. .
Atelophobia is a specific phobia focused on key non-social factors. Specific phobias tend to have previous traumas, usually in childhood. It’s often physically harmful.
Reproduction can also play an important role in the development of atelophobia, such as warnings to parents about a direct threat, which is particularly noticeable in cases where the threat is most imminent (e. g. allergies or insect attacks).
In turn, genetics and hereditary factors are thought to play a role in specific phobias, especially those related to the danger of injury. For example, a primary reflection of “fight or flight” can be triggered. More easily in people with genetic predisposition.
In all kinds of phobias, external experiences or information can reinforce or develop fear. In extreme cases, indirect exposures can be as distant as listening to a reference in a conversation or noticing a particular news story.
Atelophobia, like most phobias, comes from a subconscious overprotection mechanism and, like many phobias, can also stem from an unresolved emotional conflict.
Demanding parents who impose perfection and strict teachers can become central triggers for future mental disorders, including fear of not being good enough.
Atherophobia has a lot to do with perfectionism, but the two terms are not the same, there is a fundamental difference between these concepts.
It is true that people with atelophobia see perfection as their goal and do not achieve it simply because it is impossible, however, atélphobia is not limited to setting high standards.
The problem is that it paralyzes and blocks reinforcement rather than motivating. Many perfectionists respond to anxiety by working even harder. People with atelophobia prefer inaction to avoid possible failures.
Moreover, perfectionism often manifests itself in a desire for development or personal success, this vision, with its problems, can make a person better and more successful, however, atelophobia is also not beneficial in this regard.
Learning to fight for what is good enough is a quality that generally generates well-being. On this, author Olga Khazan wrote: “It can be difficult, in our culture, to force us to settle for ‘pretty well’, but when it comes to happiness and satisfaction, ‘Good enough?’it’s not just good, is it perfect?.
In atelophobia, perfection becomes a threat from which you can hardly escape; in fact, this often causes paralysis that puts an end to any attempt to achieve a certain goal.
This not only creates frustration, but is also very destructive to the self-esteem of the person, who feels overwhelmed and trapped in his own fear.