{"formatVersion":"1.1","id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/what-is-a-complex","path":"/answers/what-is-a-complex","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/what-is-a-complex","title":"What is a complex?","family":"Answers detail","description":"Discover the concept of complex beliefs and self-fulfilling prophecies, driving individuals to seek solutions and bring about feared outcomes.","language":"en-US","access":{"audience":"custom-shared-preview","indexable":true},"provenance":{"sourceUrl":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/answers/what-is-a-complex","wordpressId":"6314","contentCompleteness":"complete","dateScope":"original-source"},"authors":[{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/mark-dombeck#person","name":"Mark Vigil Dombeck, Ph.D.","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/mark-dombeck"}],"reviewer":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/jesse-hanson#person","name":"Jesse Hanson, Ph.D.","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/jesse-hanson"},"dates":{"datePublished":"2024-06-01T00:35:16Z","dateModified":"2025-09-07T07:20:54Z","lastReviewed":"2025-09-15"},"content":{"html":"<nav class=\"breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\"><ol><li><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/\">Home</a></li><li><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers\">Answers</a></li><li><span aria-current=\"page\">What is a complex?</span></li></ol></nav><div class=\"article-page answer-page\" data-answer-template=\"conversation\"><header class=\"answer-heading article-heading\"><a class=\"answer-back\" href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers\">Answers</a><h1>What is a complex?</h1><div class=\"answer-credits\"><a class=\"answer-credit-person\" href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/mark-dombeck\"><img src=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/optimized/4248f6de508c9d830e0cf812.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><span><span class=\"answer-credit-role\">Written by</span><span class=\"answer-credit-name\">Mark Vigil Dombeck, Ph.D.</span></span></a><a class=\"answer-credit-person\" href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/jesse-hanson\"><img src=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/optimized/73305651cb93afbdebb69a9a.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><span><span class=\"answer-credit-role\">Medically reviewed by</span><span class=\"answer-credit-name\">Jesse Hanson, Ph.D.</span></span></a></div><dl class=\"answer-heading-dates\"><div><dt>Published</dt><dd><time datetime=\"2024-06-01T00:35:16Z\">June 1, 2024</time></dd></div><div><dt>Updated</dt><dd><time datetime=\"2025-09-07T07:20:54Z\">September 7, 2025</time></dd></div><div><dt>Reviewed</dt><dd><time datetime=\"2025-09-15\">September 15, 2025</time></dd></div></dl></header><nav class=\"answer-nav\" aria-label=\"Answer navigation\"><a href=\"#summary\">Summary</a><a href=\"#question\">Question</a><a href=\"#answer\">Answer</a></nav><article class=\"prose\" id=\"article-content\" data-answer-thread aria-label=\"Reader question and professional response\"><section class=\"answer-overview\" id=\"summary\" aria-labelledby=\"summary-title\"><h2 id=\"summary-title\">Summary</h2><figure class=\"answer-question-image\"><img src=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/optimized/cca7851d2ce7c3e023574174.webp\" alt=\"Smooth river stones arranged on a sunlit wooden table.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\"></figure><p>A reader asks what a psychological complex means and how it develops. They also want to understand how fears such as abandonment can shape behavior in ways that seem to bring the feared outcome about.</p><p>The response uses complex as an informal term for an exaggerated belief that some aspect of oneself or a situation is dangerous or embarrassing.</p><p>It describes a self-fulfilling prophecy as fear influencing behavior and communication in ways that can make an unwanted outcome more likely, illustrating the idea through fear of rejection when asking for a date.</p></section><div class=\"answer-originals\" id=\"original-conversation\"><div class=\"answer-originals-body\"><section class=\"answer-post answer-question\" id=\"question\" aria-labelledby=\"question-person\"><div class=\"answer-avatar answer-reader\" aria-hidden=\"true\">?</div><div class=\"answer-post-content\"><header class=\"answer-person\"><h2 id=\"question-person\">Question</h2><span>Reader · Identity withheld</span></header><p>Hi Dr. could you please explain to me what a complex is and what causes them. could you also explain to me what a person fears the most such as a fear of abandonment they cause to happen with there behavior like a self fulfilling prophesy. thank you.</p></div></section><section class=\"answer-post answer-response\" id=\"answer\" aria-labelledby=\"response-person\"><a class=\"answer-avatar\" href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/mark-dombeck\" aria-label=\"View Mark Vigil Dombeck, Ph.D. profile\"><img src=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/optimized/4248f6de508c9d830e0cf812.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"44\" height=\"44\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"></a><div class=\"answer-post-content\"><header class=\"answer-person\"><h2 id=\"response-person\">Answer</h2><span>Mark Vigil Dombeck, Ph.D.</span></header><p>A complex is an informal term for what happens when someone develops a belief (often an exadurated belief) that a particular situation is dangerous or embarrassing. For example, you might say, “For heaven’s sake, don’t call attention to her nose being so big! You’ll give her a complex”.</p>\n<p>The complex that our large-nosed protagonist might develop would be a belief that there was something wrong with the size of her nose. The person with the ‘complex’ might become so alarmed about her nose problem that she’d seek out the services of a plastic surgeon to correct things. The danger here being that in reality, there really wasn’t anything wrong with the nose in question, save for a few cruel comments and some insecurity (these two ingredients being the cause of most ‘complexes’).</p>\n<p>A self-fulfilling prophesy occurs when someone is afraid of something happening and then allows that fear to drive their responses in such a way as to cause that very feared thing to happen. As an illustration, consider someone who is socially phobic with regard to asking for dates.</p>\n<details class=\"answer-long-text\"><summary><span class=\"answer-read-more\">Show more</span><span class=\"answer-read-less\">Show less</span></summary><p>The fear here is one of rejection. The fearful suitor imagines the feared rejection in detail, and it becomes so vivid and ‘real’ that the suitor starts reacting to the object of their affection as though the feared rejection is a done deal; as though the rejection has already occurred.</p>\n<p>While being asked out, the object of the suitor’s affections is subjected to powerful mixed messages that convey the suitor’s belief that he or she is rejectable. The actual request for a date comes out all wrong, “Would you like to go out with me sometime, I mean, maybe, well, if you’re not busy which you probably are, oh well, forget about it.”. The person being asked out has to really already want to date the person who asks them out in this manner, because the method of asking is so clumsy as to turn off someone who is merely ambivalent.</p></details></div></section></div></div></article><div class=\"answer-endmatter\"><section class=\"article-expert answer-expert-card\" aria-label=\"Subject matter expert\" data-expert-kind=\"related\"><a class=\"answer-card-avatar\" href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/carlos-protzel\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><img src=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/optimized/8e1ee0ec187d4c3ff0be4ad3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"64\" height=\"64\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"></a><div class=\"answer-expert-copy\"><p class=\"article-bio-role\">Subject matter expert</p><h2><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/carlos-protzel\">Carlos Protzel <span class=\"expert-credentials\">Psy.D.</span></a></h2><p class=\"article-expert-focus\">Integrative mental health care</p><a class=\"profile-experience-link experience-button\" href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/carlos-protzel\">View experience</a></div></section><section class=\"article-topic-community\" aria-label=\"Related communities\"><img class=\"topic-community-banner\" src=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/optimized/ef97c557a973831777faa6af.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><p class=\"topic-community-label\">Related communities</p><h2>Mental Health</h2><p>A shared space to explore mental well-being, everyday experiences, and connection.</p><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/community/mental-health\">Explore community</a></section><section class=\"answer-author-card answer-reviewer-card\"><a class=\"answer-card-avatar\" href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/mark-dombeck\"><img src=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/optimized/4248f6de508c9d830e0cf812.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"64\" height=\"64\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"></a><div><span class=\"answer-reviewer-label\">Author</span><h2><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/mark-dombeck\">Mark Vigil Dombeck, Ph.D.</a></h2><p>Mark Vigil Dombeck, Ph.D. is a trauma-informed psychologist with over 30 years of experience helping people navigate mental health challenges.</p><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/mark-dombeck\" class=\"profile-experience-link experience-button\">View experience</a></div></section><section class=\"answer-author-card answer-reviewer-card\"><a class=\"answer-card-avatar\" href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/jesse-hanson\"><img src=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/optimized/73305651cb93afbdebb69a9a.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"64\" height=\"64\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"></a><div><span class=\"answer-reviewer-label\">Medical reviewer</span><h2><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/jesse-hanson\">Jesse Hanson, Ph.D.</a></h2><p>Jesse Hanson, Ph.D., is a clinical and somatic psychologist with over 20 years of experience in neuropsychology, specializing in integrative, mind-body…</p><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/jesse-hanson\" class=\"profile-experience-link experience-button\">View experience</a></div></section><section class=\"answer-related\"><h2>Related questions</h2><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/will-my-boyfriend-eventually-hit-me\">Will my boyfriend eventually hit me?</a><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/will-i-ever-feel-normal\">Will I ever feel normal?</a><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/wife-of-21-years-has-a-boyfriend\">Why does my wife of 21 years have a boyfriend?</a></section></div></div>","text":"HomeAnswersWhat is a complex?AnswersWhat is a complex?Written byMark Vigil Dombeck, Ph.D.Medically reviewed byJesse Hanson, Ph.D.PublishedJune 1, 2024UpdatedSeptember 7, 2025ReviewedSeptember 15, 2025SummaryQuestionAnswerSummaryA reader asks what a psychological complex means and how it develops. They also want to understand how fears such as abandonment can shape behavior in ways that seem to bring the feared outcome about.The response uses complex as an informal term for an exaggerated belief that some aspect of oneself or a situation is dangerous or embarrassing.It describes a self-fulfilling prophecy as fear influencing behavior and communication in ways that can make an unwanted outcome more likely, illustrating the idea through fear of rejection when asking for a date.?QuestionReader · Identity withheldHi Dr. could you please explain to me what a complex is and what causes them. could you also explain to me what a person fears the most such as a fear of abandonment they cause to happen with there behavior like a self fulfilling prophesy. thank you.AnswerMark Vigil Dombeck, Ph.D.A complex is an informal term for what happens when someone develops a belief (often an exadurated belief) that a particular situation is dangerous or embarrassing. For example, you might say, “For heaven’s sake, don’t call attention to her nose being so big! You’ll give her a complex”. The complex that our large-nosed protagonist might develop would be a belief that there was something wrong with the size of her nose. The person with the ‘complex’ might become so alarmed about her nose problem that she’d seek out the services of a plastic surgeon to correct things. The danger here being that in reality, there really wasn’t anything wrong with the nose in question, save for a few cruel comments and some insecurity (these two ingredients being the cause of most ‘complexes’). A self-fulfilling prophesy occurs when someone is afraid of something happening and then allows that fear to drive their responses in such a way as to cause that very feared thing to happen. As an illustration, consider someone who is socially phobic with regard to asking for dates. Show moreShow lessThe fear here is one of rejection. The fearful suitor imagines the feared rejection in detail, and it becomes so vivid and ‘real’ that the suitor starts reacting to the object of their affection as though the feared rejection is a done deal; as though the rejection has already occurred. While being asked out, the object of the suitor’s affections is subjected to powerful mixed messages that convey the suitor’s belief that he or she is rejectable. The actual request for a date comes out all wrong, “Would you like to go out with me sometime, I mean, maybe, well, if you’re not busy which you probably are, oh well, forget about it.”. The person being asked out has to really already want to date the person who asks them out in this manner, because the method of asking is so clumsy as to turn off someone who is merely ambivalent.Subject matter expertCarlos Protzel Psy.D.Integrative mental health careView experienceRelated communitiesMental HealthA shared space to explore mental well-being, everyday experiences, and connection.Explore communityAuthorMark Vigil Dombeck, Ph.D.Mark Vigil Dombeck, Ph.D. is a trauma-informed psychologist with over 30 years of experience helping people navigate mental health challenges.View experienceMedical reviewerJesse Hanson, Ph.D.Jesse Hanson, Ph.D., is a clinical and somatic psychologist with over 20 years of experience in neuropsychology, specializing in integrative, mind-body…View experienceRelated questionsWill my boyfriend eventually hit me?Will I ever feel normal?Why does my wife of 21 years have a boyfriend?","wordCount":582},"schema":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/#organization","name":"MentalHealth.com","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/#website","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/","name":"MentalHealth.com","inLanguage":"en-US","publisher":{"@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/#organization"}},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/what-is-a-complex#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Answers","item":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"What is a 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causes them. could you also explain to me what a person fears the most such as a fear of abandonment they cause to happen with there behavior like a self fulfilling prophesy. thank you.","acceptedAnswer":{"@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/what-is-a-complex#answer"},"inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/what-is-a-complex#question","answerCount":1},{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/what-is-a-complex#answer","text":"A complex is an informal term for what happens when someone develops a belief (often an exadurated belief) that a particular situation is dangerous or embarrassing. For example, you might say, “For heaven’s sake, don’t call attention to her nose being so big! You’ll give her a complex”. The complex that our large-nosed protagonist might develop would be a belief that there was something wrong with the size of her nose. The person with the ‘complex’ might become so alarmed about her nose problem that she’d seek out the services of a plastic surgeon to correct things. The danger here being that in reality, there really wasn’t anything wrong with the nose in question, save for a few cruel comments and some insecurity (these two ingredients being the cause of most ‘complexes’). A self-fulfilling prophesy occurs when someone is afraid of something happening and then allows that fear to drive their responses in such a way as to cause that very feared thing to happen. As an illustration, consider someone who is socially phobic with regard to asking for dates. The fear here is one of rejection. The fearful suitor imagines the feared rejection in detail, and it becomes so vivid and ‘real’ that the suitor starts reacting to the object of their affection as though the feared rejection is a done deal; as though the rejection has already occurred. While being asked out, the object of the suitor’s affections is subjected to powerful mixed messages that convey the suitor’s belief that he or she is rejectable. The actual request for a date comes out all wrong, “Would you like to go out with me sometime, I mean, maybe, well, if you’re not busy which you probably are, oh well, forget about it.”. 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byMark Vigil Dombeck, Ph.D."},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/jesse-hanson","label":"Medically reviewed byJesse Hanson, Ph.D."},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/what-is-a-complex#summary","label":"Summary"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/what-is-a-complex#question","label":"Question"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/what-is-a-complex#answer","label":"Answer"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/mark-dombeck","label":""},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/carlos-protzel","label":""},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/carlos-protzel","label":"Carlos Protzel Psy.D."},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/carlos-protzel","label":"View experience"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/community/mental-health","label":"Explore community"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/mark-dombeck","label":""},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/mark-dombeck","label":"Mark Vigil Dombeck, Ph.D."},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/mark-dombeck","label":"View experience"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/jesse-hanson","label":""},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/jesse-hanson","label":"Jesse Hanson, Ph.D."},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/jesse-hanson","label":"View experience"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/will-my-boyfriend-eventually-hit-me","label":"Will my boyfriend eventually hit me?"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/will-i-ever-feel-normal","label":"Will I ever feel normal?"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/wife-of-21-years-has-a-boyfriend","label":"Why does my wife of 21 years have a boyfriend?"}],"conversation":{"status":"complete","summary":{"question":"A reader asks what a psychological complex means and how it develops. They also want to understand how fears such as abandonment can shape behavior in ways that seem to bring the feared outcome about.","answer":"The response uses complex as an informal term for an exaggerated belief that some aspect of oneself or a situation is dangerous or embarrassing. It describes a self-fulfilling prophecy as fear influencing behavior and communication in ways that can make an unwanted outcome more likely, illustrating the idea through fear of rejection when asking for a date."},"sourceUrl":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/answers/what-is-a-complex","sourceReviewer":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/jesse-hanson#person","name":"Jesse Hanson, Ph.D.","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/jesse-hanson"},"question":{"id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/what-is-a-complex#question","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/what-is-a-complex#question","html":"<p>Hi Dr. could you please explain to me what a complex is and what causes them. could you also explain to me what a person fears the most such as a fear of abandonment they cause to happen with there behavior like a self fulfilling prophesy. thank you.</p>","text":"Hi Dr. could you please explain to me what a complex is and what causes them. could you also explain to me what a person fears the most such as a fear of abandonment they cause to happen with there behavior like a self fulfilling prophesy. thank you."},"answer":{"id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/what-is-a-complex#answer","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/what-is-a-complex#answer","html":"<p>A complex is an informal term for what happens when someone develops a belief (often an exadurated belief) that a particular situation is dangerous or embarrassing. For example, you might say, “For heaven’s sake, don’t call attention to her nose being so big! You’ll give her a complex”.</p>\n<p>The complex that our large-nosed protagonist might develop would be a belief that there was something wrong with the size of her nose. The person with the ‘complex’ might become so alarmed about her nose problem that she’d seek out the services of a plastic surgeon to correct things. The danger here being that in reality, there really wasn’t anything wrong with the nose in question, save for a few cruel comments and some insecurity (these two ingredients being the cause of most ‘complexes’).</p>\n<p>A self-fulfilling prophesy occurs when someone is afraid of something happening and then allows that fear to drive their responses in such a way as to cause that very feared thing to happen. As an illustration, consider someone who is socially phobic with regard to asking for dates.</p>\n<p>The fear here is one of rejection. The fearful suitor imagines the feared rejection in detail, and it becomes so vivid and ‘real’ that the suitor starts reacting to the object of their affection as though the feared rejection is a done deal; as though the rejection has already occurred.</p>\n<p>While being asked out, the object of the suitor’s affections is subjected to powerful mixed messages that convey the suitor’s belief that he or she is rejectable. The actual request for a date comes out all wrong, “Would you like to go out with me sometime, I mean, maybe, well, if you’re not busy which you probably are, oh well, forget about it.”. The person being asked out has to really already want to date the person who asks them out in this manner, because the method of asking is so clumsy as to turn off someone who is merely ambivalent.</p>","text":"A complex is an informal term for what happens when someone develops a belief (often an exadurated belief) that a particular situation is dangerous or embarrassing. For example, you might say, “For heaven’s sake, don’t call attention to her nose being so big! You’ll give her a complex”. The complex that our large-nosed protagonist might develop would be a belief that there was something wrong with the size of her nose. The person with the ‘complex’ might become so alarmed about her nose problem that she’d seek out the services of a plastic surgeon to correct things. The danger here being that in reality, there really wasn’t anything wrong with the nose in question, save for a few cruel comments and some insecurity (these two ingredients being the cause of most ‘complexes’). A self-fulfilling prophesy occurs when someone is afraid of something happening and then allows that fear to drive their responses in such a way as to cause that very feared thing to happen. As an illustration, consider someone who is socially phobic with regard to asking for dates. The fear here is one of rejection. The fearful suitor imagines the feared rejection in detail, and it becomes so vivid and ‘real’ that the suitor starts reacting to the object of their affection as though the feared rejection is a done deal; as though the rejection has already occurred. While being asked out, the object of the suitor’s affections is subjected to powerful mixed messages that convey the suitor’s belief that he or she is rejectable. The actual request for a date comes out all wrong, “Would you like to go out with me sometime, I mean, maybe, well, if you’re not busy which you probably are, oh well, forget about it.”. The person being asked out has to really already want to date the person who asks them out in this manner, because the method of asking is so clumsy as to turn off someone who is merely ambivalent.","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/mark-dombeck#person","name":"Mark Vigil Dombeck, Ph.D.","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/mark-dombeck"}},"summaryScope":"Editorial overview of the original question and response; original review dates apply to the source conversation."},"presentation":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-03","template":"answer-conversation","imageGeneratedAt":"2026-10-03"},"seo":{"title":"What is a complex? | MentalHealth.com","description":"Discover the concept of complex beliefs and self-fulfilling prophecies, driving individuals to seek solutions and bring about feared outcomes.","canonical":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/answers/what-is-a-complex","robots":"index,follow","socialImage":{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/optimized/f7d19272dd5d30590dddbab9.png","width":1200,"height":630,"alt":"MentalHealth.com — Answers","type":"image/png","sitemapGroup":"answers"}},"subjectMatterExpert":{"name":"Carlos Protzel, Psy.D.","url":"/people/carlos-protzel","profileId":"13151","topic":"wellbeing","focus":"Integrative mental health care","selectionBasis":"Documented expertise in the existing published profile","reviewAttribution":false},"navigation":[],"relatedCommunity":{"community":"/community/mental-health","basis":"general mental health"},"collections":[]}