Mysophobia

Information on Mysophobia

Mysophobia, more commonly known as "germaphobia," is a term used to describe one who has a pathological and irrational fear of germs. This phobia is often related to obsessive compulsive disorder because it involves an obsession over cleanliness. Symptoms of mysophobia include an avoidance of "uncleanly" activities, obsessive hand washing and more life debilitating effects such as avoidance of social situations that involve coming into contact with others. Symptoms also include anything associated with panic attacks such as shortness of breath, rapid breathing, irregular heartbeat, sweating, excessive sweating, anxiety, dread, dry mouth, nausea and shaking when exposed to the fear. Those who suffer from mysophobia find it difficult to enjoy life because they are in a constant state of sanitation. The fear with mysophobia lies in the irrational thought that germs, such as the ones that cause the common cold, can be life threatening. A recent increase in the percentage of sufferers in America is thought to be caused by the population's general perception of the world outside our boarders as a dangerous and harmful place. The onset of mysophobia usually occurs in those who have a natural tendency to worry and a family background of anxiety. The disease is associated with a traumatic event involving germs experienced first or even second hand. Treatments revolve around cognitive therapy and the same types of treatment used for OCD sufferers. Temporary cures can be achieved with medications in the SSRI antidepressant category such as Paxil, Prozac, or Zoloft. However, side effects of these drugs can be numerous and severe. It is best to try cognitive behavioral therapy before taking medications or trying unproven methods such as hypnotherapy, neuro-linguistic programming and energy psychology.

Brontophobia

Information on Brontophobia

Brontophobia is the irrational fear of thunder or lightening. Although everyone fears these natural phenomenon, the brontophobic is often made sick and restless due to his overzealous fears. During storms, those who suffer from brontophobia often hide in closets, under beds, in cupboards and anywhere where they cannot hear or see the storm. Other actions caused by this phobia include diving for foxholes, shutting blinds, turning the radio, television and lights off and lying flat on the floor or curling up in bed. This phobia makes it impossible for sufferers to function during a rainy or sometimes, cloudy day. Sometimes sufferers change television channels rapidly looking for weather information. The fear of being struck by lightening is ever present in the mind of a brontophobic and can cause excessive worrying, stress, anxiety, dry mouth, intense heart beat, excessive sweating and other symptoms associated with panic attacks. The causes of brontophobia are often linked to frightening childhood experiences during a storm. Although the individual understands that his fear is irrational, he cannot separate his worries from reality. Treatments for brontophobia consist of traditional cognitive behavioral therapies such as flooding, counter-conditioning and gradual exposure therapy. Medications and less traditional treatments have also been found to work. Virtual reality therapy can be effective for treating brontophobia because of the ability to simulate a storm or lightening without waiting for nature to take her course. This can make treatment faster and less expensive. However, the true test should always come in real and natural form.

Necrophobia

Information on Necrophobia

Necrophobia is the term used to describe the fear of corpses or dead things in general. Although sometimes used interchangeably, thanatophobia is the term used to describe the fear of one's own death or dying. The onset of this fear usually occurs among those with a predisposition to worry and those with family backgrounds of anxiety. Most likely, sufferers of necrophobia experienced an intense panic attack at some point in their lives while being exposed to a corpse or a dead thing. As with all phobias, exposure could have also come in a second hand form such as television or radio broadcast. Nonetheless, the wiring of the brain caused the reaction to become a learned behavior. Although irrational, this fear is very real to the sufferer. When they are exposed to the stimulus, a panic attack ensues causing excessive perspiration, dry mouth, high levels of anxiety, heavy breathing and even immobility. Many necrophobics have trouble sleeping and often experience the urge to run out of their beds at the slightest thought of death. Because of their fear, necrophobics tend to avoid situations where they may come into contact with the stimuli. This can cause an avoidance of family funerals, Treatments consist around the cognitive behavioral therapies common with most phobias such as exposure therapy, flooding and counter-conditioning. Hypnotherapy, neuro-linguistic programing and energy psychology are among the more alternative methods of treatment. Medications include anti-depression and anxiety pills used to treat panic attacks. These are a good short term answer to save one from an embarrassing episode. They are not, however, a good or permanent solution to any phobia.

Xenophobia

Information on Xenophobia

Xenophobia is the irrational fear of strangers and foreigners. In order for a person to exhibit xenophobic behavior, he must genuinely believe the target is a real threat. For this reason, xenophobia and racism are two very separate concepts. Xenophobia can be aimed towards entire population groups within a society as well as individuals. Immigrants and recent settlers are equally targeted. Cultural differences are perceived as dangerous. Hostility, anger and violet reactions are common symptoms of xenophobia. Other symptoms include anxiety,sweating, increased heart rate, increased rate of breathing and avoidance of public or social situations. Xenophobia can keep apart loved ones and business associates and have a major impact on the quality of life. Serious consequences such as political campaigns for linguistic purification, isolationism and genocide can occur if the phobia goes unchecked. Causes of xenophobia may include a traumatic experience sometimes in life that provoked a panic attack near a stranger or foreigner. This behavioral response then became encoded in the body as a natural reaction to the stimulus. Although this phobia is believed to be learned, it can be unlearned through cognitive behavioral therapy coupled with anxiety medication. It is best to try proven treatments before wandering into the forever growing pool of unproven ones. As always, therapy forces the patient to confront his fears and reassess the rationality pathways in his brain. It is imperative to embark on this treatment with an open mind. Although medications can speed up the process, they include serious side effects and are never a permanent solution.

Gynophobia

Gynophobia (also spelled as gynephobia) is an abnormal fear of women. In the past, the Latin term was used, horror feminae, meaning "fear of women".

The word caligynephobia is also coined to mean the fear of beautiful women. For the latter one the expression venustraphobia is also used. In many cases it may also be rooted in social phobia or social anxiety disorder.

Gynophobia used to be considered a driving force toward homosexuality. Havelock Ellis in his 1896 Studies in the Psychology of Sex wrote:

"It is, perhaps, not difficult to account for the horror — much stronger than that normally felt toward a person of the same sex — with which the invert often regards the sexual organs of persons of the opposite sex. It cannot be said that the sexual organs of either sex under the influence of sexual excitement are esthetically pleasing; they only become emotionally desirable through the parallel excitement of the beholder. When the absence of parallel excitement is accompanied in the beholder by the sense of unfamiliarity as in childhood, or by a neurotic hypersensitiveness, the conditions are present for the production of intense horror feminae or horror masculis, as the case may be. It is possible that, as Otto Rank argues in his interesting study, "Die Naktheit im Sage und Dichtung," [sic] this horror of the sexual organs of the opposite sex, to some extent felt even by normal people, is embodied in the Melusine type of legend."

Wilhelm Stekel in his book "Sadism and Masochism: The Psychology of Hatred and Cruelty" discusses horror feminae of a male masochist.
Some authors consider the myths about Amazons (Eva Keuls argues that violent amazons are the evidence of gynophobia in Classical Athens.) and medieval witch-hunts to be manifestations of gynophobia in human culture.