Recognition of the achievements of others represents a frequent quality in life, since we constantly contemplate that other people have carried out activities and left indelible memories. However, envy and resentment are also often a response to express rejection of the virtues of others. This particular condition can be the beginning of a series of complications.
This problem is known as Procrustes Syndrome and if it is not treated in time it can cause unpleasant consequences for people who have this type of sensations. If you want to know more about this, in this Psychology-Online article, we will tell you what the Procrustes syndrome: what it is, characteristics and treatment.
What is Procrustes syndrome
The origin of this syndrome is the Greek myth of Procrustes. As the story goes, Procrustes accommodated those who traveled in his home, however, while the traveler slept, he tied him to his bed and hit and hammered him. Even though the people who visited Procrustes were of different heights, he applied punishments to them for not matching his body build.
The conclusion of the myth is that Procrustes forced others to conform to his ideal standards of beauty. In this sense, Procrustes syndrome refers to a tendency to reject the virtues and/or achievements of other people. In other words, it is the difficulty in recognizing the positive aspects in which other individuals excel. Those who suffer from it feel overwhelmed by the qualities of others, which is why they become upset.
Characteristics of Procrustes syndrome
In order to detect a person suffering from Procrustes syndrome in time, you must pay attention to the way they address other people. Furthermore, those who suffer from this pathology have certain behaviors and ways of being delimited. The main characteristics of people with Procrustes syndrome are:
- .
- Hatred towards others.
- Inability to recognize virtues and/or achievements of others.
- Fear of being surpassed./a.
- Envy.
- Low tolerance for frustration.
- Feelings of inferiority.
- Low self-esteem.
- Anxiety.
It must be taken into account that the characteristics displayed may appear in other clinical conditions. For this reason, detecting any of these qualities in isolation does not constitute an accurate diagnosis. It’s necessary that the evaluation is performed by a mental health professional.
Areas in which Procrustes syndrome manifests itself
Procrustes syndrome can manifest itself in different contexts. Next, we will develop some areas in which this problem arises most frequently:
- Student environment: It is observed when a student presents superior academic performance in a course. Faced with this situation, there are people who belittle the effort and/or achievement based on negative comments about it. Furthermore, public denigration and harassment of those who show virtues are common. It should be noted that Procrustes syndrome can manifest itself in both teachers and students.
- Labor sphere: This condition also arises in workplaces where there is extreme competition between employees. When this happens, it often happens that those suffering from Procrustes syndrome look for methods to disqualify the most qualified employees. This makes teamwork difficult, since they are people who have a low tolerance for frustration and little possibility of success.
- Social ambit: This clinical picture also manifests itself in social relationships. As in the student and work environment, people who have this diagnosis have the tendency to criticize and denigrate any achievements and virtues in which others excel for fear of being inferior. This entails the manifestation of attitudes that seek to compensate for this feeling of inferiority.
Treatment of Procrustes syndrome
Beyond the difficulties caused by Procrustes syndrome, it is important to mention that there are treatments that improve the social ties of people with this clinical condition. Even so, whoever seeks help must have a clear intention of wanting to modify aspects of their personality, otherwise it will be difficult for the treatments used to produce the desired effect. That being said, the best ways to treat Procrustes syndrome are as follows.
- Psychological therapy: a space that allows you to improve personal aspects of daily life. In this sense, the emotions, thoughts and behaviors that produce this condition work. The objective of this method lies in providing valid tools so that the person can establish more enjoyable and healthy relationships.
- Psychiatric medication: When Procrustes syndrome seriously interferes with the development of daily activities, one of the most viable options is to resort to taking psychiatric medications. Their intake should always be supervised by a mental health professional.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Aguilera-Mancilla, G., Hernández-Sandoval, RH, Rodríguez-Garza, BN (2020). Occupational impact of procrustes syndrome in family businesses, state of Coahuila. VinculaTégica Magazine EFAN, 16 (1), 227-239.
- Young, P. (2018). Procrustes Syndrome in Medicine. Chilean Medicine Magazine, 146 (7), 942-946.