As follows are 10 psychological complexes, which were named after historical and fictional people:

Cassandra Complex

“Cassandra” (1898), painting by Evelyn de Morgan

Named after a Trojan prophetess of Greek mythology, on whom Apollo had laid a curse that nobody would ever believe her prophecies, when she did not return his affection. It describes people’s tendency, often due to denial, to disbelieve predictions of imminent doom that would ultimately come true.

Cain Complex

Named after the Biblical character who murdered his brother out of jealousy when God rejected his sacrifice but honored his brother’s. Children, who are accustomed to being the center of all attention, may show signs of this complex especially when a new sibling is born into the family. It involves intense jealousy and rivalry, that might result to extreme hatred.

Superman Complex

Named after the comic book superhero from the planet Krypton. People suffering from this have a very unhealthy sense of responsibility; they do not feel the need to ask for advice, have a know-it-all mentality and are control freaks. They consider everybody else as incompetent and therefore unable to perform tasks as effectively and efficiently as they can.

Cinderella Complex

Named after a fairy tale character made famous by Disney. This explains people, particularly women, who have the fear of being independent; they seem to have the Damsel-in-Distress frame of mind, passively waiting for their prince to come and save them from their predicament.

Napoleon Complex

“Napoleon in His Study” (1812) by Jacques-Louis David

Named after one of history’s greatest military geniuses, who was nicknamed “the Little Corporal.” This is a form of inferiority complex, typically exhibited by vertically-challenged people, who are always driven by the need to excel so as to gain greater sense of worth, thereby compensating for their perceived defect.

Lear Complex

“King Lear Weeping Over the Death of Cordelia” (1786-87), painting by James Barry

Named after the king, the main character of the eponymous tragedy by William Shakespeare. It refers to the father’s lustful attraction for his daughter. The lustful attraction of a mother for her son is called the “Jocasta complex”.

Oedipus Complex

Named after the legendary Theban King, who unknowingly killed his father and married his mother. This Freudian concept attempts to explain a male child’s subconscious desire for the exclusive affection of the parent of the opposite sex, and resentment towards the parent of the same sex, who is perceived as the rival. For a female child, “Electra complex” is the term used.

Madonna Complex

Man, raised by a cold and distant mother, may develop this. Such a man would generally search for a wife with his mother’s qualities in the hope of fulfilling his unmet need for intimacy during childhood; but as a result would find it difficult to be intimate with his wife, whom he unconsciously sees as his mother.

Polycrates Complex

Named for the despotic monarch of Samos from 6th century B.C., who, notwithstanding his daughter’s prophetic admonition of his imminent death, went on to visit the Persian governor of Sardis and was eventually assassinated. This complex may be experienced by guilt-ridden people who feel the need to be punished.

Peter Pan Complex

Named after the J.M. Barrie character that never wants to grow up. Accepted in popular psychology, people with this complex exhibit extreme childishness in almost facet of their life. They shirk from responsibility, rebel against accepted norms, dwell more on fantasies than on reality and often desire to be cared for.

Click the following for more unusually named medical/psychological conditions:

·         10 Uniquely Named Syndromes 1

·         10 Uniquely Named Syndromes 2

·         10 Syndromes Named After Literary Characters