Greek mythology tells us that Procrustes was a man of extraordinary stature and strength who lived in the hills of Attica, where he offered his inn to solitary travelers. When the travelers slept, Procustus gagged and bound them in front of an iron bed at four corners.

However, if the victim's body was too big, she would amputate the individual's parts, be it the feet or the head. Conversely, if the victim was small, he would break the body with a hammer to lengthen it.

It is also claimed that no one ever fit the size of his bed, for Procrustes had two beds, one long and one very short. To learn more about the story of Procrustus in Greek mythology, read on!

The myth and its bed in Greek mythology

At first glance, Procrustes seemed like a kind man: he offered his house as shelter to any needy traveler who happened to meet him. The house had two beds, one short and one long.

However, once the unfortunate traveler chose and lay down on one of them, Procrustos made sure to make it fit the bed. Either by using his infernal device to lengthen its ends or by hammering its length.

This macabre tradition continued until Theseus reversed the game and challenged Procrustos to see if his body would fit the size of the bed. When the innkeeper lay down, Theseus gagged him and tied him to the bed. Then he gave him to try his own medicine.

Procrustean bed: Understand

Theseus ended up dealing with his host the same way he dealt with his guests in bed, and even if we don't know which of Procrustes' two beds meant the end for Procrustes, it couldn't have been a pleasurable experience either way.

Therefore, we can conclude that to be in Procossus' bed means to be forced to adapt to a very difficult situation, which entails immense sacrifices and pain. However, the meaning of Procossus and his figure are used in psychology to indicate a syndrome with serious psychopathological implications.

The Procrustean Syndrome in Psychology

By Procrustean Syndrome is meant a particular mental disorder that causes the sufferer to feel an acute pain - in other words, a sadness over the success of other people, be they colleagues, friends or relatives.

People affected by this syndrome not only envy others, but also try to prevent them from achieving their personal goals. Thus, the subject feels great contempt for the successful of others. However, this feeling is only the expression of a heated sense of inferiority.

According to this syndrome, the patient has the characteristics of being someone who is weak, insecure, and feels threatened by the merits and qualities of others. For this reason, he does not tolerate others demonstrating higher qualities in certain fields. By conclusion, the individual often proves to be unfair, even going so far as to sabotage the plans of those around him.

Interpreting Procrustus in Greek Mythology

The myth of Procustus in Greek mythology is interpreted and used to refer to individuals who try to get rid of or belittle everyone they consider better than they are. In this way, the person suffering from Procustus Syndrome begins to live in the world that is built in his mind, that is, in a parallel universe that leads him to disconnect from reality.

In fact, he often makes irrational judgments based only on his ideas of how reality should be. On the other hand, his tendency to compare himself with others leads him to think that if others are brilliant, that means he is not.

Profile of people with Procrusteus Syndrome

While it is true that Procrustean Syndrome is not identified in any of the major diagnostic manuals for mental disorders, it groups together a series of behaviors and characteristics that seem to repeat in certain people on a daily basis.

According to studies, the profile of a person with this syndrome would be someone who appears kind and gentle, but with enormous frustration, low self-esteem, and a feeling of lack of control over his or her life.

For those who suffer from Procrustos Syndrome, anyone can become an enemy. For this reason, they usually react to any comment by putting themselves on the defensive and attacking. In other words, trying to overcome their rival and contain the perceived threat.

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Procrustean syndrome in the workplace

If brought back to the workplace, this figure occupies important positions and experiences newcomers or bright colleagues as a continuous threat to their work. New ideas are always viewed with suspicion and exaggerated criticism.

In fact, those with Procrustean syndrome are afraid to cross the threshold of their comfort zone and refuse to delegate. That is because they are obsessed with controlling every step so that the other person will not be noticed.

Overall, the manifestations of this syndrome can be traced in all areas of daily life, including family and friends. In the case of Procrustean syndrome, competition is not at all healthy, but rather aims to assert one's superiority over the other , which must be reduced.

How to deal with someone who has this syndrome?

It is not easy to live with someone who behaves like Procrustos. That person will be forced to live on guard, that is, waiting for the next attack, the new humiliation or an exemplary punishment.

In this way, being trampled on can cause a person to react in two ways: either he resigns himself to the humiliation and gradually becomes smaller, obscuring all his light; or he builds up resentment and hatred. Neither situation is positive.

Therefore, if we notice that someone close to us is behaving like the mythological character, the most convenient thing is to boycott his action strategy without losing our cool.

Furthermore, we must be aware that in some cases we cannot change their way of being and thinking, but we can prevent their attacks from affecting us.

Final considerations

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