Atlas personality

The Atlas personality, drawing on the story of the giant Atlas from Greek mythology supporting the world, is someone obliged to take on adult responsibilities prematurely. They are thus liable to develop a pattern of compulsive caregiving in later life.

Origins and nature

The Atlas personality is typically found in a person who felt obliged during childhood to take on responsibilities (extending beyond normal household chores or looking after siblings) 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 over-sensitivity 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]

Notable examples

Treatment

Persons suffering from Atlas personalty 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.

gollark: To be fair, you can't really *tell* if you got cancer because of a reactor issue or something else very easily.
gollark: Hmm, Wikipedia says steel.
gollark: Aren't paperclips made of aluminium or something?
gollark: Oh, did you play the universal paperclips game?
gollark: Paperclips themselves or paperclip maximizers?

See also

References
  1. R. Baron, Psychology (1995) p. 516
  2. N. Barry, Mother's Ruin (2013)
  3. L. Z. Vogel: Atlas personality
  4. John Bowlby, The Making and Breaking of Affectional Bonds (London 1979) p. 139
  5. Alice Miller, 'The Drama of Being a Child (London 1990) p. 38
  6. R. Rentoul, Ferenczi's Language of Tenderness (Plymouth 2011) p. 44
  7. E. Levine, Undead TV (London 2007) p. 36

Further reading
  • L. J. Cozolino, The Making of a Therapist (New York 2004)
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