Ataraxia: extreme state of tranquility

Ataraxia is a condition where the person who has it is unable to feel frustration, has a state of tranquility and serenity such that he is unable to feel bad about desires or concerns. Sounds like a good thing, right? But is not. It is a disorder caused by a stroke or a blow to the head (in the front).

When ataraxia occurs, in the medical field, it is because the person's brain is damaged and they do not have the will to be angry, disappointed or frustrated. This is a serious problem ... getting angry and frustrated is necessary in order to evolve as people! Frustration helps us to improve when there are things that we do not like or we are not satisfied with the life that is led.

Is it really quiet?

More than tranquility or serenity, it is apathy. Ataraxia is a serious problem for the person who suffers from it because they are not aware of their limitations or the consequences that their actions may have. You can act recklessly without fear and without worry.

Ataraxia is an absence of embarrassment and there is no real emotional balance. Inner Peace is not real because for better or for worse, the mood is forced due to brain damage. Following this thought, if there were brain damage, ataraxia could be the purpose of achieving full happiness without external disturbances. Although this is complicated, since disturbances to a greater or lesser extent make us human and help us evolve.

Ataraxia in life according to philosophy

Actually the concept of ataraxia is used in philosophy to refer to a calm and serene state of mind. It is used to talk about how a person tries to get away from the disturbances of life to achieve their own happiness. It consists of trying to regulate emotions by being strong to the obstacles of life trying to lead a balanced life where daily ills do not affect the state of mind.

People will try to avoid the pleasures that can cause pain after the initial satisfaction. In philosophy, ataraxia only follows the pleasures that are natural and necessary to find full happiness and discards any others. In addition, a person who practices ataraxia following this philosophy does not want to judge things, avoids believing in anything and thus avoid conflicts, enhancing his serene attitude. They argue that by avoiding desire, pain is avoided.

Health vs philosophy

It is interesting to see how in philosophy the term ataraxia is used as a concept to follow to achieve fulfillment and the greatest happiness ... But in medicine the same term is used to talk about a serious health problem. In both cases, ataraxia is characterized by the serenity of the person, the lack of response to external stimuli and a lack of evolution by not using frustration in an excess of emotional regulation.

Only in the case of medicine, ataraxia is caused by brain damage, and in philosophy it is a desire of the person to find happiness through serenity and complete tranquility. Behaving voluntarily in a specific way. In the case of ataraxia due to disease or brain damage, it happens that the person can act in a dangerous way with complete tranquility, but later, once they realize their actions, they cannot feel feelings of guilt ... When there is brain damage, the person may feel anxious and nervous ... but there is not for joy or happiness.

If Greek philosophy is followed, ataraxia is a synonym for imperturbability of the soul. It is a state in which the soul and mind do not accept suffering or emotions that are considered negative such as anger, since feeling them, they thought, could disturb the soul too much. They thought that to live in absolute calm it was necessary to practice ataraxia. Any distractions that might disturb your inner calm should be eliminated or removed from life's own path.

Identify ataraxia

At this point, we know that when we talk about ataraxia we are referring to the lack of the human being's ability to feel frustration, voluntarily or imposed due to brain damage. Ataraxia when imposed is not easy for the person who suffers from it because it is a way in which the heart and mind become cloudy and the person ceases to be who he really is.

To identify if a person suffers from ataraxia (from brain damage), there are some characteristics that can help you find out. Do not miss them, because only by knowing it will you be able to act accordingly in your relational behavior with that person:

• Imperturbability. The person is in complete serenity. It seems that he has no feelings, no pain, it seems that he has total and absolute control over his emotions. There is nothing to frustrate or annoy you.
• There is no limit to your actions. Due to brain damage, people are unaware of their actions and lose the ability to understand that there are social norms.
• Actions without consequences. They do not think about the consequences of their actions, nor do they feel guilt or responsibility for what they do.
• They have forgotten about frustration. They are not happy or calm, they may have nerves and anxiety, but they have forgotten what frustration is due to the circumstances of life and this means that they do not evolve or grow personally.
• They are apathetic people. It is not serenity and absolute tranquility, it is apathy. For the Greeks, apathy was reaching the most absolute happiness because passivity was the tranquility they needed to enjoy calm. In reality, this passivity or apathy will only make the person not evolve as a person and that in the long run, they will regret not having done other things.

As you have been able to verify, ataraxia is a brain damage that causes the person to suffer with this condition on the one hand, but on the other hand, it is a desired condition and seeks for others. It is necessary to give the importance it deserves to this problem and See a healthcare professional for treatment if specific medical attention is needed.