Hello, dear readers of the site! Lacanophobia is the irrational fear of vegetables.
It belongs to eating disorders. And today we will try to figure out why it occurs, as well as how you can recover from it.
What is it like?
The term comes from the Greek word «laxavov», which means a vegetable or something that is grown in the garden. And also from the word «fobos», that is, panic, horror.
Lacanophobia, sometimes called lachanophobia, manifests itself in the complete rejection of everything related to berries, fruits and, of course, vegetables. Up to the point that the fob is not even able to pronounce the name of existing fruits.
Although there are different types, for example, a person can safely eat apples, but at the same time he will not even look at a pear, because he will start to suffocate because of fear.
Or, in no case will he touch the same apples if they were adjacent to a frightening pear, and, even worse, touched it.
On the one hand, this phobia seems ridiculous, insignificant. But in fact, it brings a lot of inconvenience to its owner, who is not able to go to the market, to the supermarket, to the same restaurant on a date.
After all, there is a risk that some dish will be prepared with the addition of vegetables, fruits. Or a neighbor at the table will eat them.
Symptoms
When an object of fear appears in the fob, a panic attack begins, which is accompanied by pain in the chest, which resembles a heart attack.
This, of course, frightens even more, which is why the panic only grows. As a result, breathing is difficult, as the level of oxygen in the blood rises to the maximum.
A person loses control over himself and his reactions, because he sincerely thinks that he will now die from suffocation or a heart attack due to the fact that he had to touch a vegetable or just see it.
He can scream and cry, beg for salvation and run without looking back, trying to get to a safe place where there are no peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, and so on.
Also, when a person panics, the heartbeat and pressure usually increase, dry mouth, tremor of the limbs appear. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of consciousness are common.
He is thrown into a fever, despite the temperature in the room or on the street. That is, even in the cold, his sweating will increase against the background of fear. The voice will tremble, to the point that it will become squeaky, high.
Causes
- Anxiety and hypersensitivity. Such individuals, who are prone to worry for any reason, if they simply see a program on TV about how harmful fruits and berries are, because they are processed with chemical solutions, they are at risk of becoming owners of a phobic disorder.
- Negative experience. After poisoning with any vegetable, especially if it was heavy, a person may develop a panic fear in the future to eat them.
- Allergy. An allergic reaction to any fruit also increases anxiety, up to the onset of lacanophobia.
- Condemnation. In modern society, there are a considerable number of vegetarians, animal rights activists who actively fight for animal rights, against killings for food, fur, and so on. So, wanting to taste meat, but realizing that it is in certain groups with which, for example, he is in close contact, he is perceived negatively, and even aggressively. He may try to force himself to eat plant foods, gradually becoming disgusted with them. And the more actively he will show violence towards himself and his desires, the more likely he will hate vegetables, up to the appearance of a phobia.
Treatment
If symptoms of lacanophobia occur, you should definitely and immediately go to a psychotherapist. To confirm or refute the diagnosis.
If it is confirmed, the therapist will help to find out the reasons for the development of this phobia. After all, the list shows those that are most often found. But people are different and their experience, sometimes traumatic, is also different.
The most effective in the fight against phobic disorders are considered to be cognitive behavioral therapy, gestalt and hypnosis.
Group work showed quite good results. This is when people with the same difficulties meet in the same space and share their experience with each other, how they overcome them.
Sometimes the very understanding that you are not alone in this world falls into a stupor at the sight of potatoes is very supportive and gives you the resource to move on.
In the event of somatic symptoms, such as sleep disturbance, increased anxiety, aggressiveness, and so on, a visit to a psychiatrist is recommended.
He has the right to prescribe medications that will help improve well-being. That is, antidepressants, sedatives, sleeping pills. Usually they are not dispensed without a doctor’s prescription, and therefore it is necessary to go to a specialist.
Completion
And that’s all for today, dear readers!
Finally, we want to recommend an article about the fear of balloons. Yes, there are such disorders.
You will receive a complete list of existing ones from the heading «Phobias and Fears». Stay with us by subscribing to site updates. And take care of yourself and your loved ones!
The material was prepared by a psychologist, Gestalt therapist, Zhuravina Alina