What is the term when a person feels irrationally and intensely afraid of a specific object or situation?
OverviewWhat is atychiphobia?Atychiphobia is an intense fear of failure. It comes from the Greek word “atyches,” meaning "unfortunate.” Show
People with atychiphobia may avoid any situation where they see a potential for failure, such as an exam or job interview. It can also mean being afraid of a failed relationship, a failed career or being a disappointment to others. The fear often becomes self-fulfilling. For example, if you’re so scared of failing a test that you refuse to take the test, you may end up failing an entire class. Fear of failure can lead to a broad range of emotional and psychological problems, including shame, depression, anxiety, panic attacks or low self-esteem. It may negatively affect how you perform at school or work, or how you interact with friends and family members. Atychiphobia is different from atelophobia, which is a fear of imperfection. Are atychiphobia and perfectionism the same?Atychiphobia and perfectionism have some similarities, but they’re different conditions. Perfectionism means you try to be flawless and have an intense focus on success. Someone with atychiphobia focuses on failure and battles feelings of panic, worry or doom about what could happen if failure happens. Extreme perfectionism can escalate into atelophobia. What is a phobia?A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder. It causes an overwhelming sense of fear about an object, situation or event. The fear might seem irrational to others, but the person with the phobia feels genuinely scared, threatened and at risk. How common is atychiphobia?It’s hard knowing exactly how many people have a specific phobia, like atychiphobia. Many people may keep this fear to themselves or may not recognize they have it. We do know that about 1 in 10 American adults and 1 in 5 teenagers will deal with a specific phobia disorder at some point in their lives, though. Symptoms and CausesWhat causes atychiphobia?Possible causes of atychiphobia may include:
What are the symptoms of atychiphobia?People with a fear of failure may be:
Atychiphobia can also cause panic attacks, which may lead to:
Diagnosis and TestsHow is atychiphobia diagnosed?There aren’t any tests to diagnose the fear of failure. Your healthcare provider can diagnose the condition based on discussions with you about:
Your healthcare provider collects detailed information about your fear of failure. They may ask a variety of questions, such as:
Your healthcare provider will also try to determine if you have any other mental health disorders, like:
Management and TreatmentHow is atychiphobia managed or treated?There is a variety of ways to manage a fear of failure, including:
PreventionIs there a way to prevent atychiphobia?Phobias aren’t usually preventable, but you can take steps to reduce their severity:
Outlook / PrognosisWhat’s the prognosis (outlook) for people with atychiphobia?Most people respond well to treatments such as psychotherapy, lifestyle adjustments and medication. In fact, studies show that about 90% of people with a phobia can overcome the condition with exposure therapy. Living WithWhen should I call the doctor?Contact your healthcare provider if you experience:
What questions should I ask my doctor?You may want to ask your healthcare provider:
A note from Cleveland Clinic Atychiphobia is an extreme fear of failure. Someone with this condition may procrastinate or avoid any situations where they don’t feel they’ll be completely successful. They may set unrealistic goals for themselves, which only increases the possibility of failure. If you have severe worry or panic at the thought of failing, talk to your healthcare provider. Most people can overcome this phobia with psychotherapy. What is an intense and irrational fear called?A phobia is an excessive and irrational fear reaction. If you have a phobia, you may experience a deep sense of dread or panic when you encounter the source of your fear. The fear can be of a certain place, situation, or object. Unlike general anxiety disorders, a phobia is usually connected to something specific.
What does it mean to be irrationally afraid of something?While below are some of the emotional symptoms of an irrational fear or phobia: A feeling of being overwhelmed by anxiety, panic or fear. A strong feeling of needing to escape. Fear of losing control or going crazy. The sensation that you're going to die or faint.
What is it called when someone has an extreme fear of something?Overview. Specific phobias are an overwhelming and unreasonable fear of objects or situations that pose little real danger but provoke anxiety and avoidance.
What is a fear that is related to a specific situation or object?A phobia is an overwhelming and debilitating fear of an object, place, situation, feeling or animal. Phobias are more pronounced than fears. They develop when a person has an exaggerated or unrealistic sense of danger about a situation or object.
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