Contents
Hello, dear readers of the site! Pnigophobia is a panic fear of dying from suffocation, no matter for what reason, whether because of choking, or simply from a lack of oxygen.
And today we will try to figure out why this phobia occurs. And also, in what ways it is usually cured.
What is it like?
Pnigophobia, or, as it is also called, anginophobia, can manifest itself in the form of anxiety about whether everything is in order with the access of oxygen to the lungs. But in severe cases, a person loses his peace and spends most of his life in anxiety.
Especially at times when it becomes ill with viral infections. After all, the discomfort in the throat with the same sore throat only reminds of the subject of fear.
Breathing is in fact the most important physiological process in our body. Because it keeps him alive.
A person can live without food for many days, without water for several days, but without air — just a couple of minutes, in some cases a little more.
Therefore, at the slightest discomfort in the respiratory system, panic occurs. In which, naturally, there are problems with well-being, which only convinces of the correctness of frightening obsessive thoughts.
Causes
Addictive behavior
That is, the presence of alcohol, nicotine or drug addiction. Such addictions destroy the physical health of the individual, and also have an impact on her mental state.
Plus, the very understanding makes itself felt that love, for example, does not lead to anything good. That it provokes the development of lung cancer, as a result of which a person has a high chance of dying a painful death. If the treatment does not give the desired effect.
Pnigophobia is especially active in drug addicts. Considering the fact that every time they put a bag of some kind of toxic substance on their head, they run the risk of suffocation.
In general, you will learn more about what addictions are from this article.
Diseases in history
People who have problems with the respiratory or cardiac system are also at risk of developing this type of phobia.
Having experienced an attack of angina pectoris or asthma, a person will simply wait with horror when this happens again.
Negative experience
If one of the people you know died in an accident, for example, choked at dinner and simply suffocated, then this information can be deposited in the subconscious, causing anxiety.
Since it indicates our fragility and finiteness, depriving the illusion of the justice of the structure of this world.
No matter how hard you try to ensure your safety, you can’t control all the nuances and a banal piece of meat can get stuck in your throat, blocking your breath.
Education
Parents’ attempts to influence the child’s behavior also contribute to the emergence of anginophobia. For example, if he indulges at the table, they tell him about the possibility of choking. Only now, not informing, but scaring.
Or when the baby refuses to dress warmly, they can say that then he will catch a cold, his throat will swell, and he will die, and all because he did not obey his mother.
Impressive children can be so imbued with such statements that they will spend the rest of their conscious life in fear.
Professional activity
Individuals who, on duty, are at risk have a high chance of acquiring pnigophobia as well.
Which is not surprising because, for example, divers or miners every time they go to work risk dying due to equipment failure. As a result, access to oxygen will be blocked.
sexual practices
Some people reach the peak of sexual arousal when the partner uses strangulation. Such games are dangerous and, paradoxically, they both beckon and frighten those who use them.
Even if there is trust in a relationship, you can simply not calculate your strengths or the capabilities of the one you are strangling. Trite, because he did not have time to take a deep breath.
Or because of dizziness and loss of control over their behavior. Indeed, when a panic occurs, it is simply forgotten what signal needs to be given so that the partner recognizes it and stops its actions.
Media
If in your personal experience there were no stories with relatives who died of suffocation, then the media will certainly cover them, and with details.
And after watching films where the characters died from lack of air, it also becomes uncomfortable. Those who tend to dramatize events and take everything “to heart” are just at the risk of angiophobia.
Symptoms
Signs of a somatic nature, as with any other types of phobic disorders. Panic arises, as a result of which breathing difficulties are observed, this only increases fear.
After all, it seems that this is it, it has happened and now death will really come, either from a heart attack, or from asphyxia.
The following symptoms are also present
- A rapid heartbeat, which is not surprising, because the body decides that danger has come and it needs to try to survive. Why does he launch a program called «rescue». This is when all resources are activated to complete the escape;
- Pre-fainting state, and maybe even loss of consciousness;
- Nausea, stomach pain and diarrhea, vomiting (the body seeks to get rid of excess cargo that will slow down movement);
- Feeling hot, may sweat despite the cold temperature outside or indoors;
- Tremor of the extremities, numbness, chills are sometimes observed. By the way, because of the tremor and numbness, the gait seems unsteady, the person crashes into the pieces of furniture in front of him, into the walls and, losing his balance, falls down the stairs.
- At the moment of panic, not only control over one’s actions is lost, as well as the ability to adequately assess the situation, but a so-called “mental stupor” also occurs. This is when thinking refuses to work properly, it slows down so much that the pnigophobe is not able to understand what is being said to him.
Treatment
Pathological fear of suffocation is quite possible to cure. It is important only to seek help from qualified specialists. Who understand what needs to be done to restore the patient’s mental balance.
Therapy is most often complex, that is, in addition to meetings with a psychologist, psychiatrists can also prescribe medication.
For example, sedatives to reduce anxiety levels and relax the nervous system.
Sleeping pills, in the case when obsessive thoughts have brought to the point that there are problems with falling asleep. Or such nightmares began to dream, after which it is scary to close your eyes.
A constant lack of sleep, you know, provokes the emergence of various diseases. Depletion of the body will significantly affect health, limiting the possibilities that a person previously had.
Antidepressants help improve overall mental health and elevate mood. Especially if he is absent for a long time, and a hole seems to have formed in his chest due to a feeling of hopelessness, powerlessness and fatigue from the constant accompanying fear.
And they can also prescribe antipsychotics, they suppress anxiety by reducing the response to external stimuli.
Simply, what was terrifying before, under the influence of neuroleptics, will cause a feeling of slight anxiety.
Completion
Be attentive to yourself, panic attacks, in principle, are inherently not dangerous and visit almost every person on the planet.
But if you notice that the quality of your life has changed a lot, and not for the better. And the idea that one day you will die in agony due to a lack of oxygen does not allow you to completely relax — be sure to go for a consultation with a psychotherapist, a psychologist.
The sooner you discover the signs of pnigophobia in yourself and begin to act, the sooner you will get rid of it.
And be sure to declare a fight to bad habits, lead an active lifestyle. Travel, walk in the fresh air and practice meditation.
By timely relieving stress after a hard day’s work, you will take care not only of physical health, but also of mental health.
And finally, we want to recommend you an article called the fear of dying from a heart attack.
Stay with us, there is a lot of interesting and useful information ahead of you!
Happiness to you and health!
The material was prepared by a psychologist, Gestalt therapist, Zhuravina Alina