Have you known any adult person who continues to have the mentality and / or behaviors like a child? The syndrome that we will give you next called "Peter Pan Syndrome or Complex" explains why this situation occurs with some people.
Although this syndrome is not considered a mental disorder or illness, many psychologists use this concept to refer to adults who show this fear and anxiety about assuming the responsibilities that the fact of being adult. It must be clear that adolescents would not enter into this syndrome since it is perfectly normal that at that stage they have certain concerns about what the adult world holds for them. In this article from Psychology-Online: Peter Pan syndrome: characteristics, symptoms and treatment, We are going to let you know in detail all the aspects related to this type of syndrome.
This type of syndrome refers to the literary novel by James Matews Barrie that we all know about Peter Pan where the protagonist was characterized by having an enormous refusal to grow up and feeling the desire to remain a child all his lifetime.
When we live with these types of people, we usually have the feeling that we are actually talking to a child who is locked in the body of an adult and although it seems strange to many that someone could act in this way, this syndrome is common in society. Among the main characteristics and symptoms manifested by people with this type of syndrome, the following stand out:
- Inability to take charge of themselves and take responsibility for their own actions.
- Difficulty committing with something or someone. This can be in all areas of your life, mainly in the sentimental and at work.
- Tend to procrastinate or procrastinate the activities that they have pending to do.
- They feel angry and misunderstood by parents.
- They blame another for the actions they have committed to not take charge of anything.
- They are emotionally dependent. They do not know how to eliminate emotional dependence.
- They have the need to be close to their parents as they believe they continue to need their care and protection.
- Lack of trust in themselves.
- They generally manifest having little interest in sex.
- They act normally impulsively
- They have adolescent behaviors
- Choose couples much younger than them. For example, men in their 40s who have partners in their 20s.
Among the main causes that have been found for a person to suffer from Peter Pan syndrome, there are basically the following:
- Cases where there has been a overprotection in childhood on the part of the parents, so that the children have not acquired enough tools to learn to face their problems on their own. For example, children of parents who solved everything for their children, did not let them make their own mistakes, they were always after them so that nothing bad happened to them, etc.
- Son of parents who have been quite permissive with them and that they have always let them do what they wanted, so they grew up with the belief that this was the way it was going to be all their lives.
- Having lacked the love, affection and care of parents during childhood.
This syndrome despite not being too serious or at least not at first, if the person is not aware of what is happening to him or does not receive treatment, it can sometimes trigger other types of more serious disorders such as depression and anxiety.
People with Peter Pan Syndrome usually have personal problems related to the social area since it is very difficult for them to establish relationships long-lasting relationships, be it friendship or dating, as well as regularly having problems at work due to their inability to take responsibility for acts. It's hard to know how to treat someone with Peter Pan Syndrome, So in case the person is not aware of what he has or is but does not know what to do to improve, it is necessary that he receive help from a professional.
Psychological therapy is quite effective for overcome Peter Pan Syndrome, help the person to improve her life and above all increase her emotional well-being. The psychologist is the one who will be in charge of evaluating the specific situation of the person and will offer the most appropriate treatment according to their particular case. Regularly what is worked in therapy is with the cognitive restructuring where the irrational ideas of the patient are debated and modified by others that will allow him to adapt better.
Personal objectives and goals are also being established aimed at taking responsibility for oneself and other aspects in the work, sentimental area, etc. This is of course done progressively until finally achieving that the patient is in optimal conditions to face all situations of adult life.
This article is merely informative, in 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.
If you want to read more articles similar to Peter Pan syndrome: characteristics, symptoms and treatment, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical psychology.
