Gripped by fear of failure

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-02-18 14:26

People will suffer from anxiety when fear of failure becomes overpowering. Photos courtesy of Quanjing

Many people have growing anxiety over the possibility that they will be laid off and over increasing demands in the workplace.

That is understandable in the current economic climate, but sometimes the fear of failure is so strong that it begins to take over the daily lives of the people affected and completely consumes their thoughts. Such cases meet the criteria of a serious anxiety disorder, and professional help is necessary.

Fear of failure is evident in various psychiatric illnesses, says Professor Andreas Stroehle, chief physician at the clinic for psychiatry and psychotherapy at Charite Hospital in Berlin. These illnesses are typically depression and existing illnesses like social phobias and general anxiety disorders.

"People with social phobias are afraid of other people's assessment or appraisal of them," says Birgit Mauler, chief psychologist at a clinic in Muenster. Those affected fear looking like failures in the eyes of other people. This can be strictly limited to the anxiety one feels before taking an examination, or the affected person may fear all situations in which he has contact with other people. Typically, this turns into avoidance behavior, says Stroehle.

"This leads to a vicious cycle because the person with the illness continues to withdraw," he adds. Restlessness, difficulty sleeping and tension often occur as physical symptoms. Many people also attempt to compensate for their fear, says Mauler. They study even harder in order not to fail.

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