As a psychiatrist and psychodynamic therapist, I see this often in high-performing individuals who are dealing with perfectionism or when their past finally catches up to them. People describe feeling “stuck," at a crossroads in life, professionally or personally, with no clear solution. Beneath their struggle lies a deep, often unresolved tensions, typically from earlier in life.

This pattern—known in psychodynamic terms as terminal ambivalence—can silently erode confidence, productivity, and mood. Terminal ambivalence is a chronic internal stalemate and discontent, a sense that of feeling lost, dissatisfied, or directionless. This can lead to inaction, paralysis, and procrastination.