Contents
Hello dear readers! Aichmophobia (oxyphobia) is the fear of sharp objects. And if most people try to handle them carefully, then a person with this phobia literally loses consciousness only at the sight of scissors, knives, axes, etc.
And today we will look at why this happens, as well as how to cope with panic and anxiety due to obsessive thoughts.
What is it like?
Aichmophobia is translated from the Greek «aichme» as «point» and, accordingly, «phobos» as fear. There is another name, but it is not so often used — this is oxyphobia.
This fear is so irrational that a person in severe cases cannot even use pencils and pens in everyday life.
Now imagine how he manages in everyday life, cook food, clean up and just go out into the street, where there are objects everywhere that can easily get hurt?
No persuasion and serious arguments of the absurdity of fear will affect him. The mere sight of something piercing causes a lot of suffering, and an attempt to touch them even aggravates the condition.
The only desire will be to quickly escape from the place where the danger is.
Evidence
The symptoms of eichmophobia are, in principle, like those of other phobias. This is dry mouth, palpitations, in some cases, pain in the heart, which causes thoughts of imminent death, and only worsens general well-being.
Hands and feet may tremble, numbness and sweating will appear. The process of breathing becomes more complicated, due to the fact that the breaths are frequent and short, they lead to a supersaturation with oxygen. Why, it seems that on the contrary, it is sorely lacking.
In such cases, you should simply breathe into a paper bag or into your palms. By inhaling the carbon dioxide released during the exhalation, we stabilize the level of oxygen in the blood, and hence the condition.
There are also problems with the stomach, in addition to acute colic, vomiting and diarrhea can make themselves felt. Due to a change in pressure, a person, frightened by a sharp object, can lose consciousness, control himself, that is, “fall” into hysterics and run around screaming for help, cry and try to hide in any secluded place.
For example, in a closet or under a table. What from the outside looks like a manifestation of complete madness, when an adult, seeing a pencil in the hands of an interlocutor, begs for mercy and tries to jump out the window.
Aftermath
When a panic attack occurs, the eichmophobe will try to flee. His consciousness will become tunnel, that is, limited. He will be able to perceive only the information that currently worries him and can ensure security.
For example, not noticing anyone around and running away without looking back, you risk getting hit by a car. Or fall into the hatch, fall down the stairs, and just stumbling over a stone, break your head, crash into a door, a wall.
Increased anxiety is observed, the person seems to be in a state of expectation that a disaster is about to happen and one must be prepared for it. Naturally, this greatly “hits” health, chronic diseases begin to inflame, new ones arise, on a nervous basis.
The body’s resources are not unlimited, systems and organs literally fail, malfunctioning.
Therefore, the appearance of insomnia, irritability, depression and a lack of desire to live, go out and communicate with other people, do what used to bring joy and pleasure is quite natural.
Then, after a panic attack, the process of self-abasement begins. Shame and guilt for oneself and one’s behavior come. This significantly affects self-esteem, gradually leading to more severe forms of the phobia.
Over time, the eichmophobe may completely stop contacting the outside world. Not letting close even relatives. Expecting that they have a knife hidden in their pocket and are just waiting for an opportunity to stab him.
In terms of symptoms, it is a little similar to schizophrenia, in principle, it can develop into it, this phobia can also easily. Rather, do not outgrow, but be one of the signs of schizoaffective disorder.
You will learn more about what schizophrenia is and what to do when it appears in this article.
Causes
Negative experience
Basically, aichmophobia develops after receiving a negative experience due to interaction with any sharp object.
For example, in childhood, the kid, playing with scissors, cut himself. It is clear that almost all of us have had a similar story in the past. Here you should take into account a number of factors, for example, how deep the cut was and how much pain it brought.
By the way, the sensitivity threshold also matters. Children are mostly afraid of blood, and even a drop threatens to cause a panic attack. They don’t know whether it is possible to die from such a wound or not, whether the blood will stop flowing, and whether there is a chance that the skin will recover.
In addition, fear intensifies if the parents were not around at such a moment. Or they simply did not provide support, considering this event the best punishment for disobedience.
A mature person, on the other hand, runs the risk of becoming an eichmophobe if he has received a serious injury, for example, at work. There was a threat to lose an arm, a leg, or this loss happened.
Difficult memories, even after a successful rehabilitation period, will not give rest. Up to the point that the dangerous blades of a car, a chainsaw or any other object, an apparatus that has deprived a limb, will be a nightmare.
The loss of a beloved, dear person is also reflected, provoking the development of a phobia. This is a powerful blow to the psyche, to endure pain, fear, anger, sadness and other feelings that arise in a situation of loss.
Especially if death came suddenly from a knife, an ax, and so on. It doesn’t matter if the hooligans attacked in the alley or there was an accident. It is almost equally painful and scary.
suicide attempt
Difficult life circumstances sometimes lead to the fact that a person decides to die. Most often, unsuccessful attempts to commit suicide occur under the influence of emotions. Because it happens spontaneously, not really thought out.
And when he chooses the option of cutting his veins, he survives in the case of timely assistance. It’s just that it’s not easy to adapt after the perfect one.
Visions of a full bath of blood or puddles on the floor can haunt you for a long time. Gradually worsening health, leading to a nervous breakdown and irrational fears.
Watching films
If a child sees at least an excerpt from a horror movie where someone was stabbed, injured, and there was a lot of blood, cries for help, and so on, this will definitely leave an imprint on his worldview.
It is for this reason that it is usually indicated that it is recommended to remove children from screens.
It is quite a normal reaction to expect danger everywhere, because as such the baby has no life experience, he is just starting to build relationships with the outside world, learning to trust him, or, conversely, at certain moments to be wary if there is a threat to life.
Seeing the horrifying scenes in the film will distort his sense of security, meaning he will simply be on edge all the time. Which, in principle, will lead to neurosis, phobias, and so on.
And it happens that a completely adult person is frightened. Just vulnerable, emotional, and for some reason not quite in a resourceful state.
For example, after experiencing severe stress, it usually takes time to recover. Otherwise, any shocks can provoke the development of a phobic disorder.
Since the psyche at such a moment is weakened. He is not able to resist difficulties and find ways out of critical situations.
Education
If parents, fearing for the life and health of their baby, periodically frightened him with the fact that in no case should he touch sharp objects, he, growing up, runs the risk of getting aichmophobia.
Moreover, if his every attempt to pick up scissors, even just a glass, caused a lot of anxiety among adults, and they tried to pick it up as soon as possible.
Because in his perception, if mom or dad is afraid, it means that it is really dangerous. He trusts them, their experience, until he has his own.
By the way, if one of the family members has any mental disorder, the child can easily adopt the reactions of such a person. In addition to the probable possibility of inheriting a tendency to this kind of disease.
Treatment
When the first signs appear, you should contact a specialist. These are psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists. Since simply understanding that fear is irrational and you need to somehow control it will not help.
Here it is not a matter of willpower, spirit, awareness, but in completely different processes. Let’s say a stomach ulcer can’t be cured with positive thoughts alone, right?
They will not interfere, but the basis should be drugs that are prescribed directly by the gastroenterologist.
So, having gone to a psychotherapist, you will understand what exactly and at what moment provoked a panic attack and, in general, eichmophobia. This will help you choose an individual method, thanks to which you will get rid of it.
The psychiatrist will prescribe drugs that will relieve general anxiety, improve sleep, general well-being and cheer up.
Completion
And that’s all for today, dear readers! Stay with us and you will find out what the fear of touches or doctors is called. And also how to get rid of the fear of women or horses.
Subscribe to site updates, take care of the development of horizons. Explore your character traits and features with the help of tests.
Get in your arsenal ways that will help you change your perception of the surrounding reality and simply become better, healthier and happier!
The material was prepared by a psychologist, Gestalt therapist, Zhuravina Alina