Low frustration tolerance

Proponents of Albert Ellis' Rational-emotive therapy cite a condition they call low frustration tolerance, or "short-term hedonism" in order to explain why people procrastinate, why some are quick to anger, and other apparently paradoxical or self-defeating behavior. It is defined as seeking immediate pleasure or avoidance of pain at the cost of long-term stress.

The concept was originally developed by psychologist Albert Ellis who theorized that low frustration-tolerance (LFT) is the result of irrational belief systems and catastrophic thinking. Behaviors are then oriented towards avoiding frustrating events which, paradoxically, lead to increased frustration and even greater mental stress.

The opposite condition is said to be "high frustration tolerance."