Ochlophobia is the fear of crowds, in the physical sense, of a fear of dying crushed by them. It must be differentiated from agoraphobia, the fear of public spaces, even if their symptoms are similar: anxiety, discomfort, panic. She is treated with hypnosis, virtual reality and other therapies, but most ochlophobes live by avoiding crowds.

Definition

Ochlo, in Greek, means the crowd. Ochlophobia would therefore be the “fear of the crowd”. But this definition is not sufficient to understand the intricacies of this phobia. It is often confused with agoraphobia, which is the fear of public spaces. Their symptoms are similar, and both the agoraphobic and the ochlophobe will use avoidance tactics, simply not to end up in “risk” situations.

If we want to summarize the differences between agoraphobic and ochlophobic:

• The agoraphobe has a fear related to space. Fear appears when the means to get out of a place are limited, by crowds or the absence of emergency exits.
• The ochlophobe has a fear related to crowd, in the sense physical of the term. It’s a fear of contact, of being crushed by the mass of the crowd.

(In mathematical terms we see that the agoraphobic and the ochlophobe have complementary fears!)

Causes

The causes of the appearance of a phobia are extremely complex and intimately linked to the person. In general, the latter cannot explain how his phobia has taken shape, but simply notes that it is present and that he has to live with it. The causes can thus vary from a childhood or adult trauma (such as a victim of an attack), to a fear that appeared for no reason. A dialogue with a psychologist can help to better understand this origin.

Diagnostic

The ochlophobe realizes his own fear, being the first to feel it under all his power. In order to confirm his feelings, he can discuss it with a psychologist, able to relieve his fear, provide solutions to live with it or even get rid of it through behavioral therapies. Like all phobias, we find a bit of all personality profiles.

Risk factors

Traumatic situations, experienced in childhood, or adult (we think of victims of attacks for example, where their fear of the crowd is concrete).

• Anguish, rapid heartbeat
• Panic attack
• Fear of dying, feeling of imminent danger
• Feeling of losing your body
• Nausea, discomfort

The ochlophobe experiences a feeling of fear when he finds himself surrounded by a crowd that appears to him to be compact, dense, putting him under pressure (pressure from the looks of others or pressure by the overall mass of the crowd).

Avoid risk areas

By himself, the ochlophobe will “cure” his fear by simply avoiding risky situations: busy shopping centers, public transport at rush hour, final football matches, concerts …

However, these avoidance strategies only work as bandages on an open wound, and it is unlikely to go away on its own.

Mediation

Others will tackle their problem head-on, and try to entertain their thoughts when the first symptoms appear. One effective method is to practice meditation before any situation in contact with the crowd, with a view to reducing future anxiety.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis treatments have also been shown to be effective in relieving or alleviating symptoms. Hypnosis, however, is based on the will of the patient, so don’t go if you don’t give it credit.

Virtual reality

Using virtual reality headsets (especially those that are truly immersive, such as the Vive, Oculus Rift, or Microsoft headsets), the patient is totally immersed in a fictional universe. These treatments can help to confront our phobias, by simulating them. Since nothing is real, the patient can stop the experience at any time, which reassures them and helps them move forward. In the case of ochlophobia we can simulate an increasingly dense crowd, position ourselves where we want, fly above it, become giant like tiny. These treatments must be accompanied by a therapist who accompanies and establishes a tailor-made program for his patient.

Like any phobia, there is no point in trying to avoid becoming one. We become it in the course of our life sometimes without valid reason.