The Atlas personality, named after the story of the TitanAtlas from Greek mythology who is forced to hold up the sky, is someone obliged to take on adult responsibilities prematurely. They are as a result liable to develop a pattern of compulsive caregiving in later life.
The Atlas personality is typically found in a person who felt obliged during childhood to take on responsibilities such as providing psychological support to parents, often in a chaotic family situation.[1]
The result in adult life can be a personality devoid of fun, and feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders.[2] Depression and anxiety, as well as oversensitivity to others and an inability to assert their own needs, are further identifiable characteristics.[3] In addition, there may also be an underlying rage against the parents for not having provided love,[4] and for exploiting the child for their own needs.[5]
While Atlas personalities may appear to function adequately as adults, they may be pervaded with a sense of emptiness and be lacking in vitality.[6]
Persons suffering from Atlas personality may benefit from psychotherapy. In such cases, a therapist talks with the patient about the patient's childhood and helps identify behavioral patterns that may have arisen from being given too many responsibilities too early in life.
^John Bowlby, The Making and Breaking of Affectional Bonds (London 1979) p. 139
^Alice Miller, 'The Drama of Being a Child (London 1990) p. 38
^R. Rentoul, Ferenczi's Language of Tenderness (Plymouth 2011) p. 44
Further readingedit
L. J. Cozolino, The Making of a Therapist (New York 2004)
February 19, 2024
atlas, personality, named, after, story, titan, atlas, from, greek, mythology, forced, hold, someone, obliged, take, adult, responsibilities, prematurely, they, result, liable, develop, pattern, compulsive, caregiving, later, life, contents, origins, nature, t. The Atlas personality named after the story of the Titan Atlas from Greek mythology who is forced to hold up the sky is someone obliged to take on adult responsibilities prematurely They are as a result liable to develop a pattern of compulsive caregiving in later life Contents 1 Origins and nature 2 Treatment 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingOrigins and nature editThe Atlas personality is typically found in a person who felt obliged during childhood to take on responsibilities such as providing psychological support to parents often in a chaotic family situation 1 The result in adult life can be a personality devoid of fun and feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders 2 Depression and anxiety as well as oversensitivity to others and an inability to assert their own needs are further identifiable characteristics 3 In addition there may also be an underlying rage against the parents for not having provided love 4 and for exploiting the child for their own needs 5 While Atlas personalities may appear to function adequately as adults they may be pervaded with a sense of emptiness and be lacking in vitality 6 Treatment editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed March 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Persons suffering from Atlas personality may benefit from psychotherapy In such cases a therapist talks with the patient about the patient s childhood and helps identify behavioral patterns that may have arisen from being given too many responsibilities too early in life See also editCodependency Parentification Sandor Ferenczi Superman complex Traumatic bondingReferences edit R Baron Psychology 1995 p 516 N Barry Mother s Ruin 2013 L Z Vogel Atlas personality John Bowlby The Making and Breaking of Affectional Bonds London 1979 p 139 Alice Miller The Drama of Being a Child London 1990 p 38 R Rentoul Ferenczi s Language of Tenderness Plymouth 2011 p 44Further reading editL J Cozolino The Making of a Therapist New York 2004 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Atlas personality amp oldid 1204217754, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
