What Are The Negative Effects Of The Fear Of Making A Fool Of Yourself?
The fear of making a fool of ourselves is a phenomenon that greatly conditions and limits the lives of many people.
Beyond being a simple attitude when assessing the risks and possible advantages of certain social interactions, this psychological phenomenon leads some to reduce to a minimum relationships with those they do not know or know little.
In this article We will see what exactly the fear of making a fool of yourself consists of and what its negative effects can be in people’s life.
In short, the fear of making a fool of yourself is the emotional response to the anticipation of giving such a bad image to others that it may even be a source of ridicule.
Per se, The fear of making a fool of yourself doesn’t always have to be problematic ; In some cases it is simply a way to avoid getting involved in activities that one does not master and that can lead to giving an unflattering image of oneself to others; In cases like this, the fear of making a fool of oneself can be seen as a mechanism to protect a person’s public image, taking into account certain conventions, aesthetic codes, etc.
However, when the fear of making a fool of yourself becomes very intense, it almost always becomes a problem.
When the fear of making a fool of yourself is a recurring psychological element in a person’s behavior, It usually goes hand in hand with a personality type that tends towards shyness And shyness is precisely the predisposition to be afraid of going outside the canons of “what is normal” in front of people you barely know, since you seek their approval very insistently.
But when this fear of making a fool of oneself becomes so extreme, in frequency of appearance and intensity, that it governs the person’s social behavior, can become a true anxiety disorder: social phobia.
People who develop this psychopathology actively take measures to avoid interacting with people they do not know, and isolate themselves socially so as not to expose themselves to rejection from others (assuming that this rejection will occur).
Possible problems caused by the fear of making a fool of yourself
The fear of making a fool of yourself is much more than an entirely subjective experience; It also has an objective component, reflected in the person’s actions, which can significantly erode our quality of life.
Here you will find a summary of the most common problems that can occur in the daily life of those who feel this type of fear in a very intense way.
1. Loss of opportunities in social life
The fear of making a fool of yourself that the task of making friends or even meeting potential romantic or sexual partners becomes very complicated, or even impossible Therefore, it leads many people to feel very frustrated with their social life.
Another negative consequence of the fear of making a fool of yourself is that people who are very shy or even have social phobia can spend a lot of time and resources trying to “fit in” by taking the route of theoretical learning.
That is They are obsessed with knowing all the conventions to which they must adapt to know in advance everything that can make them look ridiculous.
3. Serious problems when communicating before an audience
In contexts such as university or certain jobs, it is necessary to make oral presentations in front of a more or less broad audience and these kinds of experiences can terrify those who are more sensitive to the fear of making a fool of themselves.
Therefore, this psychological phenomenon can significantly limit the prospects for academic or professional improvement.
4. Avoidance of social interactions is limiting
When the fear of making a fool of yourself is intense enough that leads the person to try to avoid social interactions that they know could occur that causes other parallel problems to arise.
For example, taking too long the walk home to avoid passing in front of a group meeting point, avoiding going to family dinners and exposing yourself to conflicts because of it, etc.
5. It leads many people to not want to go to therapy
Unfortunately, the fear of making a fool of ourselves leads many people to avoid seeking the psychotherapeutic help they need because they do not want to show their vulnerabilities to a psychological professional.
The idea that the problems one suffers are going to give an image that is too pitiful or unworthy makes people also seek to hide that discomfort and the problems associated with it, assuming that they are “nonsense” or the result of a kind of “weakness.” mental”. This phenomenon has to do with the stigmas that for decades have been carried by people who needed support in the field of mental health
What to do when faced with this type of fear?
The most effective way to deal with these types of problems is to attend psychotherapy. In the psychologist’s consultation it is possible to address both the root of the problem installed in what the person with fear of making a fool of himself has learned, such as the contextual aspects of day-to-day life that keep him activated.
The main objective is to make the person improve both their self-esteem and their self-efficacy in relation to social relationships, so that they do not feel that they have to “overcompensate” for everything they do in front of others by putting a lot of effort into being accepted and having control. everything he says and does. In this way she will be able to focus more on the spontaneity of what is happening at each moment, instead of making conscious decisions about each of the details in the way she speaks, makes gestures, etc.
