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Introducing atelophobia -

Atelophobia is best described as an intense fear of being imperfect and/or making mistakes. Of course, no one loves getting things wrong.

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Very limiting -

However, people with atelophobia are so worried about not getting everything right that they become unable to go about their daily lives.

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Signs of atelophobia -

One of the main characteristics of atelophobia is setting unattainable goals. People with this condition tend to set themselves unrealistically high standards and refuse to accept anything that falls short.

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Excessively harsh judgment -

Next up is excessively harsh judgment. People with atelophobia tend to be overly critical of themselves and judge themselves very harshly when they cannot achieve their goals.

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Oversensitive to feedback -

People with atelophobia also find it very difficult to accept feedback. In fact, even the slightest bit of criticism can send them over the edge.

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Oversensitive to feedback -

This is the case for constructive feedback, too, since even this can feel like an attack because it points out the person is imperfect.

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Fear and distress -

Fear and distress are also common in people with atelophobia. They can find themselves feeling stressed or panicked, even just thinking about situations where they may not be at their best.

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Fear and distress -

This can cause physical symptoms, such as shortness of breath, nausea, and sweating, as well as emotional ones.

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Avoidance -

Atelophobia also causes people to avoid situations that might upset them. For example, they might avoid taking on jobs or assignments that they may not be able to do perfectly.

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Avoidance -

They may even avoid meeting up with certain people out of fear that those people will notice their mistakes.

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Rumination -

Finally, people with atelophobia have a strong tendency to ruminate over past mistakes. They'll often find themselves going over and over things in their heads.

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Causes -

Let's look now at some of the potential causes of atelophobia. First up is trauma. If you have experienced something traumatic because of a perceived mistake, it can be emotionally scarring.

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Trauma -

In fact, it can be so emotionally scarring that you develop a strong fear of making future mistakes in order to avoid further trauma.

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Upbringing -

A person’s upbringing can also make them more likely to develop atelophobia, in particular, if they were raised by perfectionists.

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Upbringing -

If your parents or guardians were perfectionists and they withdrew their love or approval if you didn’t perform well at something, this could have caused atelophobia.

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Genetics -

Genetics can also play a role. Indeed, research suggests that you may be more likely to develop a phobia if one of your relatives has it.

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Toxic situations -

Last but not least are toxic situations. If your atelophobia is new, or it only shows up in specific situations, it may well be the situation that is the problem.

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When to seek help -

If you have atelophobia to the extent that it is interfering with your everyday life, it is advisable to seek an evaluation by a professional who specializes in anxiety.

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Diagnosing atelophobia -

During your evaluation, your healthcare provider will probably ask for a detailed personal and family history.

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Clinical interview -

They will also conduct a clinical interview that covers the symptoms you’re experiencing and how they’re affecting your everyday life.

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Other tests -

Your healthcare provider may also perform some other tests or scans in order to rule out any other health conditions.

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Treatment -

If atelophobia is diagnosed, there are several treatment options. The first is exposure therapy, a type of therapy that is used to treat phobias by exposing the person to the situation they fear until it no longer scares them. 

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CBT -

Next up is cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). This type of therapy aims to help correct the problematic thinking processes that contribute to the phobia. 

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Mindfulness -

Your healthcare provider may also recommend that you practice mindfulness, a meditation technique that can help you to manage anxiety. 

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Coping techniques -

There are also some techniques you can try yourself to make it easier to cope with atelophobia. The first is getting used to making mistakes. 

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Practice making small mistakes -

Start by letting yourself make tiny mistakes that have no consequence, and gradually work your way up until you’re able to accept the bigger ones. 

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Find ways to calm yourself -

It is also a good idea to spend some time finding ways to calm yourself. For example, you might use exercise or a creative outlet to help calm your perfectionist urges. 

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Remove yourself from toxic situations -

If you only experience atelophobia in certain toxic situations, the best solution is to simply remove yourself from that situation, whether it be a relationship or a workplace.

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Lean on others -

Finally, it is a good idea to build yourself a support system of people with whom you can share your fears and concerns. 

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Lean on others -

You should be able to count on those people to give you emotional validation and love, and of course it should not be dependent on how well you do something.

Sources: (Very Well Mind) (Cleveland Clinic)

See also: Rare phobias you've probably never heard of

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