• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

FHE Health - Addiction & Mental Health Care Homepage

Drug, Alcohol and Mental Health Treatment

ContactCareers

Call for Immediate Help (833) 596-3502

MENUMENU
  • About
        • About FHE Rehab
          • About FHE Health
          • Our Staff
          • Locations We Serve
          • Testimonials
        • Our Campus
          • Gallery
          • Our Videos
          • The Health and Wellness Center at FHE Health
        • Our Locations
          • Alcohol Rehab
          • Detox Center
          • Drug Rehab
          • Mental Health Center
          • Outpatient Rehab
        • Careers at FHE Health
          • Employment Opportunities
        • Our Expertise
          • Accreditations
          • Educational Opportunities
          • Community Impact Award
          • First Responder Families Podcast
          • First Responder Paws
          • Education Scholarship
  • Addiction
        • Treatment Programs
          • Treatment Program Overview
          • Alcohol Addiction
          • Drug Addiction Treatment
          • Behavioral Addiction
        • Levels of Care
          • Continuum of Care
          • Addiction Detox
          • Inpatient Addiction Treatment
          • Outpatient Addiction Treatment
        • What We Treat
          • Alcoholism
          • Amphetamines
          • Benzodiazepines
          • Cocaine
          • Heroin
          • Opioids
          • Sedative
  • Mental Health
        • Mental Health Rehab
          • Mental Health Rehab
          • Onsite Psychiatric Care
          • Dual Diagnosis
        • Levels of Care
          • Residential Mental Health Care
          • Outpatient Mental Health Care
        • What We Treat
          • ADD & ADHD
          • Anxiety Disorders
          • Bipolar Disorder
          • Depression
          • Eating Disorders
          • Personality Disorders
          • PTSD
          • Schizophrenia
          • Substance Use Disorder
          • Trauma
  • Programs
        • FHE Programs
          • Specialty Program Overview
          • Restore (Mental Health)
          • Empower! (Women's Program)
          • Shatterproof FHE Health(First Responders)
          • Compass Program
        • Support Programs
          • Alumni
          • Family Support
        • Therapies
          • Acupuncture
          • Breathwork Therapy
          • CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
          • DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy)
          • EMDR Therapy
          • Expressive Arts Therapy
          • Individual Therapy
          • Group Therapy
          • Gambling Therapy
          • Massage
        • Medical Care
          • Medical Integration
          • Ketamine Infusion
          • IV Vitamin
          • Fitness & Nutrition
          • Medication-Assisted Treatment
          • Medication Management
        • NeuroRehab Services
          • Neuro Rehabilitation
          • Neurofeedback Training
          • Neurostimulation Therapy
          • EEG Brain Mapping
          • Insomnia Treatment for PTSD
  • Resources
        • FHE Guides
          • Understanding Drug Abuse
          • Signs of Addiction
          • The Disease of Addiction
          • Confronting Addiction
          • Staging an Intervention
          • Rehab Success Rate – Does It Really Work?
          • Withdrawal Timelines
          • Life After Rehab
          • LGBTQ+ Community Resources
          • Veteran Resources
          • FHE Podcasts
          • Remote Resources Toolkit
        • Learning Center
          • Help for You
          • Help For Loved Ones
          • Help For Alcoholism
          • Help With Substance Abuse
          • Behavioral & Mental Health
          • Life in Recovery
          • Rehab Explained
          • Addiction Statistics
          • Our Research Articles
          • View All Articles
        • The Experience Blog
          • Addiction News
          • Alumni
          • Community Events
          • Expert Opinions
          • FHE Commentary
          • FHE News
          • Treatment Legislation
          • View All Articles
  • Admissions
        • Insurance
          • Blue Cross Insurance
          • Beacon Health / Value Options Insurance
          • Cigna Insurance
          • Humana Insurance
          • TRICARE Insurance
        • Admissions
          • Steps to Addiction Help
          • Will Insurance Cover Behavioral Treatment?
          • Self-Pay Rehab
        • FAQ
          • Keeping Your Job in Rehab
          • Example Day in Rehab
        • Contact Admissions
          • Contact Us
          • Secure Payment Form
  • Contact
  •  
Home > Featured in Mental Health > Atelophobia: When Imperfection Is Very Scary

June 29, 2024 By Chris Foy

Atelophobia: When Imperfection Is Very Scary

When Imperfection is a fear - Atelophobia

Everyone has moments when they doubt their ability to accomplish a task. Most people can shake the feeling in a day or two. However, experiencing a persistent fear of imperfection that impacts your daily functioning may signify a larger issue. Atelophobia is a diagnosable mental health condition that can cause extreme depression, anxiety and self-esteem issues. Explore common symptoms, causes and treatments of atelophobia to help yourself or a loved one overcome this fear.

Understanding Atelophobia and How It Differs From Perfectionism

Atelophobia refers to the overwhelming fear of not being perfect. Someone with atelophobia has an irrational, persistent fear of being wrong or receiving feedback, causing them to avoid situations where they might make a mistake. Although atelophobia is often referred to as perfectionism, these terms carry different meanings.

Atelophobia is a mental health condition characterized by a fear of making mistakes, while perfectionism is a personality trait driven by the need to be flawless. A person with atelophobia may experience debilitating symptoms of anxiety that prevent engagement in tasks. Perfectionism can also be difficult to live with but isn’t as intense as atelophobia.

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America estimates that specific phobias, including atelophobia, affect roughly 9.1% of the U.S. population, with women twice as likely to be affected. To be diagnosed with atelophobia, an individual must meet with a mental health professional and have their symptoms compared to criteria listed for specific phobias in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Common Symptoms and Causes of Atelophobia

Atelophobia can cause a wide range of psychological and physical symptoms. If you believe you or someone you know may have the condition, characteristics to look for include:

  • Setting unrealistic goals and getting upset when they aren’t met
  • Being overly critical and judgmental of yourself
  • Experiencing fear, distress or panic when encountering or thinking about situations where you don’t perform your best work
  • Avoiding situations, including jobs or assignments, where you might not be perfect
  • Dwelling obsessively on past mistakes until you become upset or anxious

Oftentimes, experiencing or thinking about the above situations causes physical symptoms similar to those of anxiety, including nausea, hyperventilation, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, stomach pain and headaches. Like with most phobias, atelophobia doesn’t have a specific cause, but certain factors can contribute to its development, including:

  • Experiencing a traumatic situation, such as being severely punished or abused for making a mistake
  • Being raised by parents or caregivers who were perfectionists
  • Having a family or personal history of anxiety disorders, other phobias or mental health conditions
  • Being in a toxic relationship where someone withholds love or approval if you make a mistake

How Atelophobia Affects Daily Life and Mental Well-Being

If you or someone you know struggles with atelophobia, you likely fixate on perfectionism and avoid situations where making a mistake or not being able to perform your best work is possible. There’s nothing inherently wrong with wanting to do a good job, but obsessing over the fear of imperfection can limit your opportunities and negatively affect your mental health.

For example, if you’re afraid of being wrong or receiving feedback, you may avoid taking on new jobs or assignments that could enhance your skills or boost your career. This can make you feel even more inadequate or frustrated, further worsening your mental well-being.

Additionally, engaging in excessive self-criticism for perceived flaws and obsessively checking your work for mistakes commonly occur with atelophobia. If you spend large amounts of time focusing on what you believe you did wrong, you risk forgetting to acknowledge what you did right. Fixating solely on the negatives can result in increased feelings of anxiety, stress or depression, lowered self-esteem and a decreased sense of competency.

These factors combined may reduce your overall motivation and productivity, making it difficult to complete daily tasks and achieve your goals. Because an inability to achieve goals often triggers symptoms of atelophobia, you may get trapped in an endless cycle of feeling anxious, panicked or afraid, causing additional physical or mental health issues.

Strategies for Coping With Atelophobia

Atelophobia can be challenging to live with, but it’s possible to overcome with the right guidance and support. Developing healthier habits and coping strategies can reduce feelings of anxiety and fear, making it possible to take control of your life. Strategies to consider include:

  • Utilizing relaxation techniques. Identify relaxing habits, such as meditation, yoga or breathing exercises, that help you calm down. Practicing these regularly can reduce feelings of anxiety and stress.
  • Joining a support group. Connecting with other individuals who struggle with specific phobias can help you gain new insights and advice. Search for support groups in your area or online.
  • Incorporating healthy lifestyle changes. Maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise schedule can improve your overall mood and reduce feelings of depression, anxiety or low self-esteem. Try incorporating these lifestyle changes into your daily routine.
  • Reaching out to loved ones. Building a strong support network can present opportunities to share and process your fears. Reach out to trusted friends or family members who can provide emotional validation and support as needed.

Seek Professional Treatment to Overcome Atelophobia

Professional treatment may be needed to overcome atelophobia. A doctor may prescribe antidepressants or antianxiety medications to alleviate debilitating symptoms of anxiety or depression. Therapy is more commonly used to treat atelophobia to help you reframe negative thought patterns and learn healthier coping skills.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most effective evidence-based approaches to treat specific phobias. It involves challenging problematic thinking to help you better manage fear and develop healthier behavioral patterns.

Additionally, exposure therapy can help eliminate anxiety-induced thoughts or behaviors. These sessions involve a therapist gradually exposing you to a feared situation in a controlled environment. Depending on the severity of your condition, you may undergo a combination of therapies and medications to reduce symptoms.

Don’t let fear control your life. At FHE Health, we offer a range of therapies and psychiatric services that can help you overcome atelophobia and associated symptoms of depression or anxiety. Our admissions specialists are available 24-7 to take your call. Contact us today and see how our services can help you build a more fulfilling life.

Filed Under: Featured in Mental Health, Behavioral & Mental Health

About Chris Foy

Chris Foy is a content manager and webmaster for FHE Health with years of experience in the addiction treatment industry...read more

Primary Sidebar

Learning Center

  • Help for You
  • Help For Loved Ones
  • Help For Alcoholism
  • Help With Substance Abuse
  • Behavioral & Mental Health
  • Life in Recovery
  • Rehab Explained
  • All Articles

Sign up for the Blog

Our Facilities

Take a look at our state of the art treatment center.

View Our Gallery

The Experience Blog

  • Addiction News
  • Alumni
  • Community Events
  • Expert Columns
  • FHE Commentary
  • FHE News
  • Treatment Legislation
  • All Articles

Footer

FHE Health

© 2025 FHE Health

505 S Federal Hwy #2,
Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441
1-833-596-3502
youtube facebook instagram linkedin twitter
  • Contact
  • Careers at FHE Health
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
A+ BBB and Top Places to Work - Sun Sentinel

Copyright © 2025 · FHE Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}

The FHE Health team is committed to providing accurate information that adheres to the highest standards of writing. If one of our articles is marked with a ‘reviewed for accuracy and expertise’ badge, it indicates that one or more members of our team of doctors and clinicians have reviewed the article further to ensure accuracy. This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care.

If there are any concerns about content we have published, please reach out to us at marketing@fhehealth.com.

833-596-3502

Text/Call Me