In today’s world, teenagers constantly stress about being the best they can be. But where does this fear of failure begin and how does it grow into the toxic mindset that follows many into adulthood?
Atychiphobia is characterized as an irrational fear of failure or uncertainty. It comes with psychological side effects such as insecurities, excessive worrying and procrastination. It also comes with physical side effects such as insomnia, constant fatigue and many others. Most people experience this fear frequently, but it is commonly believed that this phobia begins at a young age from many different factors.
English teacher Lynne Lundberg expressed where her phobia stems from. “I am the oldest of six children, and I had a lot of responsibilities as a child. Many people depended on me. That is a set of conditions almost custom designed to create a fear of failure,” she said. The presence of constant stress on children can be detrimental to their mental health. In fact, it can increase the risk of mental illnesses, injuries and self-esteem issues later on.
Many external factors in one’s youth determine their view of failure. “I was brought up in a world that did not see women as capable as men,” Lundberg said. “People told me I was smart but not smart enough, and that creates a fear of failure.” Unfair expectations and prejudices of this nature often limit children in both their academic and personal lives.
This phobia of failure also comes from succeeding at tasks as a young child. After succeeding in an aspect of life, it becomes an expectation to continue excelling within it. This was the case for junior Gretchen Highberger. “I always had a natural aptitude for a lot of things as a child, especially academics, so I got really used to being good and I was put in a bunch of ELP (Extended Learning Programs),” she said.
From responsibilities to successes, many childhood experiences nurture a fear of failure which can be seen through people’s lifestyles today. Highberger has found this in her life. “When I had actually had to learn, I learned how to learn pretty easily, but there was always this kind of idea that like I was supposed to be good at stuff and if I wasn’t good at stuff, I wasn’t living up to what I could,” she said. Highberger expressed the common fear of remaining average when one is used to excelling.
If we continue on a fearful path, people’s mindsets and lifestyles can turn toxic. As mentioned before, atychiphobia frequently causes fatigue, emotional drainage and hopelessness. When nuisances of this nature run their lives, people’s overall performance decreases and they end up falling right into what they were trying to avoid. This turns into an unending cycle which generates feelings of unhappiness.
To break the cycle, society as a whole must take certain actions to prevent this type of behavior. Lundberg shared the advice of her graduate school role model., “As you go through your job, you will decide what you are most interested in. That’s your job here,” she said. “My expertise was really not comparable to anybody else’s. My expertise was mine. I developed it. I set my own agenda.”
People are conditioned to be harsh on themselves. They have to realize that they are worthy of praise apart from the rejections and mistakes they have experienced. As Highberger put it, “Sometimes we get so scared that we’re going to fail and we’re going to fail the next step, that we don’t look back at all of the things we have already done that qualify us to be in the position we’re in.”
