Contents
Hello, dear readers of the site! Today we will talk about what constitutes agnosophobia, that is, a pathological, sometimes irrational fear of the unknown. And also about how to overcome it and why it occurs.
What is it like?
I think it’s no secret to anyone that the fear of the unknown and the uncertain visited absolutely every mentally healthy person on the planet.
Remember your experience when you took an exam, went on a date, an interview. Didn’t anxiety arise inside that suddenly everything would go wrong as you want? It’s just that not everyone has it transformed into a phobia, significantly worsening the quality of life.
Agnosophobe, in fact, lives very hard, because absolutely any event worries him. Starting from the need to go to work and ending with just a banal exit from the house.
No one knows what awaits him on the street. Who will he meet, and what events will happen to him.
Symptoms
At the thought of the near, and perhaps even further future, the agnosophobes begin to tremble in the knees and voice. He actively sweats and ceases to adequately assess the environment.
Anxiety so captures him that a panic attack occurs. In which breathing becomes so quick that it seems as if there is not enough oxygen and now suffocation will come. It hurts in the chest, it can feel sick and “twist” the stomach, as if it ate something wrong.
This state usually lasts about 10-15 minutes. But during this time, a person manages to experience such intense emotions that it will take a long time to come to his senses.
If it turned out that the attack happened in a public place, he may have an additional fear that something like this will happen again and he will be ashamed again.
After all, he is not able to control panic, as well as anticipate its occurrence. Why, in a severe course of the disorder, he will completely stop leaving the house, so as not to be exposed to danger once again.
And this threatens with depression and degradation when a person loses skills and social ties. In general, you will learn more about what degradation is and what its main manifestations are from this article.
On the eve of important events, the fob loses its appetite, or vice versa, begins to absorb food in irrepressible quantities. Trying in this way to cope with anxiety and find peace.
He is unable to sleep, which is why his chances of getting the desired result are significantly reduced. After all, without sleep, the energy level will be at zero, as well as the ability to concentrate, process the information received.
Causes
Birth trauma
Every person on this planet has their own birth story. And if for someone it is unremarkable, then someone had to literally fight for their lives.
Given the age of the baby, the events that happened to him at the time of birth will not remain in memory. But forever will be imprinted in the subconscious.
And they will also leave an imprint on his character, perception of the surrounding reality and style of behavior, reactions to various stimuli.
Suppose, according to statistics, people who were born by caesarean section did not know the horror due to the fact that the uterus pushed them out of the cozy, albeit already cramped place where they, so to speak, grew up.
Why are they considered risky? Especially in comparison with those who had to endure not only unpleasant sensations in connection with the passage through the birth canal. But also other troubles in the form of asphyxia due to the umbilical cord, in which he got entangled, and so on.
Character traits
Pessimistic people do not actually expect anything good from the future, so it is only natural that anxiety settles in their chest for a long time. They seem to be in constant expectation of a catch and misfortune, problems.
And, most interestingly, what they fear usually happens. Do you know why? Because they are simply not able to see the good, to notice resources and opportunities. They seem to be fixated on the negative, and even if something wonderful happens to them, they doubt to the last, expecting a dirty trick.
Also, insecure people tend to be afraid of the unknown. After all, in fact, they do not believe that they are able to cope with something, to win the competition.
By the way, being terrified of uncertainty, not knowing how to be in it, a person may strive to control everything around. Periodically painfully hitting his own impotence.
After all, in fact, we do not have the power that we would like. For example, time passes, whether we like it or not.
Methods
Travels
Traveling helps to broaden one’s horizons, awaken consciousness, inspire and motivate change.
So grab every opportunity to go to a new or long-forgotten old place. Let it be another country, a completely different continent, or just a city, a district.
And even better — sign up for some kind of expedition, if physical fitness allows.
If it’s scary — gather a company, with friends, if anything, during the trip you can lean on, share your impressions with them, and just have fun.
The first step
You know what is the most terrible moment — while a person is just deciding to do something. But it is worth taking a deep breath and taking action, as in the process, anxiety is no longer so noticeable. If only because the brain and body are busy with other tasks.
There is simply no time to fantasize and indulge in emotions, presenting terrible pictures of a probable future.
Deciding to take the first step is scary, so without thinking, start taking it. And there, the process will take you further, like a whirlpool, and other feelings will appear, in addition to anxiety. For example, curiosity, interest, surprise, joy, excitement, and so on.
The psychology of a winner lies precisely in the fact that he acts at moments when others stop themselves with thoughts of losing.
Mindfulness
Listen to your desires and feelings. Perhaps if you haven’t gone to ballroom dancing yet — you just don’t really want to?
But you stubbornly torment yourself with thoughts that this must be done, because your parents dreamed so much about how you would dance beautifully?
Or have you wanted to become an artist all your life, but were of the opinion that you won’t earn much money with creativity, why didn’t you give yourself a chance to try to create something?
There is such a thing as secondary benefit. This is when, it seems, something interferes very much and this is something you really want to change. But it does not work out, because there is a satisfaction of some not particularly conscious need.
For example, a smoker understands that cigarettes are bad and deadly, but nothing can be done about his passion for nicotine. Because when he smokes, he doesn’t feel as alone as he does the rest of the time.
So, if you are afraid of uncertainty, and do not dare to change your life, perhaps, instead of blaming a phobia, you should think about what it gives you? Let’s say stability.
Let it not suit you very much, but it is understandable. Such awareness will be that small step, thanks to which changes in your life can begin in the future.
Analysis of fantasies
When uncertainty frightens, it means that the agnosophobe has fantasies about this uncertainty.
For example, he is afraid to change jobs, because he does not know how his attempt to make life better will end. Why does he sit in the old place, not daring to quit, although he hates the duties that he has to perform, and he receives little.
So, he may be frightened by the thought that he will leave, and nothing will work out at the new job and he will be left without a livelihood.
Help, you know what? A notebook in which you need to write down the most terrible nuances that can happen to him in case of failure. And then for each problem come up with a solution.
Horror occurs when there is no specific image, so it is important to carefully “sort out” the reason for your panic. Perhaps, having examined it closer, it turns out that it is not so scary after all.
And that it is quite easy to deal with. After all, how to overcome a phobia, if in every possible way try to avoid it?
Here and now
Learn to be in the present moment and notice reality, whatever it may be. Then you will not have to live with disappointment or pain due to the fact that you did not take into account some nuances. Or simply «fled» into the future or the past.
No matter how much you want, you will not return back, just as you will not instantly move forward for some period of time. Life passes while we are in fantasies, regrets or dreams.
Yes, sometimes it is necessary. But you should not spend all your resources and energy on these processes.
If you don’t know how it is to be “in the here and now”, it’s okay, the methods described here will help you in this simple and difficult task at the same time.
Treatment
If you understand that agnosophobia has a strong effect on you, and not at all for the better.
That, let’s say you’re missing out on a lot of opportunities that are presented to you. Or, even worse, they have ceased to lead such an active social life as before — be sure to seek help from a specialist.
The psychiatrist, if necessary, will prescribe antidepressants if your faith in yourself is completely destroyed and there is no mood for a long time, no desire to live.
There are also medications to help you sleep. Indeed, due to anxiety, insomnia often occurs, which affects overall well-being and health.
A therapist can help you investigate the causes of your phobia and discover ways that work best for you.
Completion
And that’s all for today, dear readers! If you are interested in knowing what hippophobia is, or what the fear of touch is called, subscribe to site updates.
Take care of yourself and, of course, be happy!
The material was prepared by a psychologist, Gestalt therapist, Zhuravina Alina