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The Fear of Zombies
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Kinemortophobia – Fear of Zombies

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The Fear of Zombies Is Real

What do Zombieland, Zomblogalypse, The Dead Don’t Die, and Patient Zero have in common? Aside from their absurdity? Yes, they’re all zombie flicks.

And where are you when your friends and family members watch these movies and laugh as blood, gore, and stained bandages splash the screen as heads roll? Are you hiding? Reading a book? Outside playing a game?

Just the thought gives you shudders, doesn’t it? Or is it worse? Do you experience a full-blown panic attack at the mere mention of zombies? Do you sweat or feel nauseous with a heart rate that would put former Olympian Usain Bolt to shame?

If yes, then you may have kinemortophobia, also known as zombie phobia.

Living with kinemortophobia is hard. It cannot be fun imagining that your friends, neighbors, and significant other will one day turn into flesh-eating, mindless corpses.  The nightmares, sweats, constant anxiety, and hypervigilance will turn any sane person certifiable. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

If you find yourself with an aversion to all things zombies, don’t hide. Arm yourself with the most important weapon—knowledge!

What Is Kinemortophobia All About?

Kinetomorphobia is the fear of the living dead, or as most people like to call them, zombies.

What causes kinemortophobia? Kinemortophobia can be caused by anything—from books with a zombie occurrence to movies that portray a zombie apocalypse.

Kinemortophobia is not a relatively new concept or phobia. However, it has become widespread because of the constant exposure to movies and books that focus on the end of the world through a zombie apocalypse.

While it may be easier for people with other phobias to talk about their fear, it’s not as easy for those with kinemortophobia. It’s usually met with scorn and laughter. But for a phobic, kinemortophobia is terrifying. The stress and anxiety it causes can restrict them from living life to its fullest.

Fear A-Z Quick Fact

Zombies most likely originated in the early 19th century when West African slaves were brought to the Eastern Islands of the Americas. (Haiti to be more specific, but other Caribbean islands as well.) It is suggested that the powerful neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin was the cause of the “zombie-like state,” although this is disputed by some. There is also the use of the Vodou religion. Throughout the years these stories have morphed into the multitude of Zombie storylines including movies, books, and songs.

Symptoms of Kinemortophobia

Not everyone has the stomach for gore. Feeling a sense of unease by the blood, violence, and carnage that comes with any movie featuring zombies is, in fact, quite normal. But how do you differentiate between what could be a normal aversion or something that could be a cause for concern? Look at the symptoms. Kinemortophobia symptoms are usually divided into two categories. Let’s have a look.

Mental/Emotional Symptoms

Kinetomorphobia is evident through the display or occurrence of these symptoms:

  • Anxiety
  • Fear of dying
  • Withdrawing from people or friends who joke about your fear of zombies
  • Feeling shame over the apparent fear
  • Fear of losing control
  • Difficulty in concentrating on menial everyday tasks
  • Experiencing overpowering emotions and mood swings

Physical Symptoms

Those with a fear of the living dead typically experience panic and anxiety attacks. These can be triggered by watching or reading something with zombie content. Many with kinetomorphobia have reported the onset of anxiety attacks in the middle of the day as well, with no prior warning. For some, there’s no way to predict when the fear might set in. However, you can watch for telltale signals such as:

  • Sweating
  • Trembling
  • Hyperventilation
  • Nausea
  • Fainting
  • High blood pressure
  • Disorientation
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Rapid heartbeat

In some cases, kinemortophobia can be intense enough to impact the everyday life of those affected, stunting their growth in multiple facets of their lives.

In the worst cases, this could also lead to depression as individuals find it difficult to communicate with people, especially if previous attempts have been met with insensitivity, disbelief, and mockery.

What Can You Do to Help Yourself?

Don’t be ashamed of how you feel. It doesn’t help to put up a brave front and deny having felt some or all of the symptoms mentioned earlier. Be honest with yourself. If you intend on taking the self-help route, begin with acceptance.

Kinemortophobia is a condition, a phobia, that affects thousands of people worldwide irrespective of age or gender. It is as real as it gets. So what can you do to help yourself?

Are you wondering how to overcome kinemortophobia? Your most crucial defense will come from being able to end the anxiety attacks before they become severe. Here’s what can help:

Ask Yourself: Why Is This Happening to Me?

The first step to self-help involves knowing the “why.” For this, you’ll have to dig a little deeper. Ask yourself, Why am I so afraid of zombies? What triggers your fear of zombies? Is it the books, the images, the blood, gore, or the idea that they may exist in real life and are not just fictional characters?

Once you figure that out, take the next step.

Stand Firm against Your Fear

For some, avoiding everything zombie-related works. For others, doing the opposite helps. Instead of steering clear of all things zombies, increase the frequency of your exposure to zombies in books and movies. Here’s a pro tip, though. Don’t do this at night, where you’re more likely to exhibit traces of fear and prolonged effects. Do it during the day when there are others around.

With constant exposure, chances are the effect zombies have on you will lessen with time. If your efforts are consistent, you might overcome your phobia once and for all!

Experiment with Relaxation Techniques

Try breathing exercises as often as you can. For example, when you experience the beginning of a panic or anxiety attack, calm yourself by taking deep breaths and practicing meditation.

Experiment with alternatives like calming tea and exercises. These methods help you sleep better at night and reduce the chances of reliving nightmares that put you on edge. Being prepared will allow you to tackle your fears head-on.

Talk about It

The fear of zombies is mostly met with laughter. People find it hard to understand how someone can be afraid of a fictional character. This is why you need to initiate conversations to normalize it because, let’s face it, unlike zombies, kinemortophobia is 100 percent real.

Talk to people. Convey your feelings. If you’re scared of a zombie apocalypse, put it into words. Say it: “I’m scared of a zombie apocalypse.”

This works both ways. It will allow you to present your fears and be accepted for it. You’ll also be educating others about the reality behind the phobia.

When to Seek Professional Help?

Controlling your fear is not always easy. Sometimes you may require professional help. A well-trained psychotherapist will help you get to the root of your fear and triggers. They will work alongside you and find strategies and techniques to help you deal with your phobia.

A psychotherapist can also help reprogram your mind and desensitize you to zombies.

Kinemortophobia treatment also includes a type of psychotherapy called exposure therapy. By exposing you to the source of your fear, medical professionals will try to debase your fear, one step at a time.

Simple Tips to Avoid the Effects of Kinemortophobia

Talk about It

We usually shy away from initiating talks about the things we fear, because we think it makes us look weak. Don’t do that. Don’t try to conceal the fact that you’re afraid of zombies.

Zombies Are Fictional Characters. Treat Them Like That

Zombies are an invention. They’re imaginary. Have you ever seen dead people walk and engage in fights? No.

Rationalize it. If they were real, they would have walked the earth and not just be a permanent resident in your dreamland. They do not exist. So the next time you experience the onset of fear, remind yourself: They’re not real. With time, your brain will come to accept the fact.

Avoid Everything Zombie

Fear of zombies can be stressful. Start by avoiding everything zombie. There’s a new zombie apocalypse movie? A zombie-centered fictional book your friend seems to rave about? Sit them out.

Stop Associating with People Who Downplay or Laugh about Your Fear

The company you keep can impact your lifestyle. It could either be fostering or stunting. If you find yourself in the company of people who constantly mock your fear or embarrass you for it, respectfully bow out. You shouldn’t be held accountable for something you have no control over. It’s as simple as that.

The Takeaway

The fear of the walking dead is more common than you think. Talking about it can act as a stepping stone to awareness and acceptance. It’s easy to feel cornered and guilty when the people around you speak lightly about something that has a grave impact on your life.

You have to be your own champion. You are the number one supporter in your fight against fear. The fear of zombies can be overcome. It’s going to take time, but believe that it will happen eventually.

Stories Submitted by Our Readers

Zombies

Not sure when I started being scared of zombies, but I do remember every time one was on TV I ran from the room. Commercials advertising video games with zombies had me on the run. One night I was changing channels trying to find something to watch and out of nowhere zombies were jumping at the camera. I ran and screamed out of the room like I was on fire.

I decided I was going to get over my fear and rented a video game with zombies. It did work but I had to stop the game a few times to calm down. It was just getting way too intense. I think maybe killing the zombies and finding ways to escape really helped. Now, I can watch zombie movies and play zombie video games without any fear. I’m not saying this will work for everyone, but it worked for me.

Christopher

SUBMIT YOUR STORY

FearAZ.com is looking for personal stories of any 'fear of' or phobia. If you have an interesting story you'd like to share, we welcome your submission. If the story fits with our content and guidelines, we'll add it to our site.
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Your Fear Goes Up and Down

Are you someone who would rather climb the stairs than take the elevator? You call it squeezing in a workout after being sedentary the whole morning. Or perhaps you claim it's a faster route. These are both typical, normal, and acceptable reasons. But what if you need to be in the conference room on the eleventh floor in five minutes, and you're wearing your business suit and wingtips? Would you still prefer to take the stairs? If your answer is yes, then maybe it's time to take a closer look at your reasons for avoiding elevators. Elevators stir all sorts of emotions in passengers. From the discomfort of closeness to strangers to the sensations in our gut, elevators can be a source of the heebie-jeebies for many, but for some, they can also be a source of terror. Let's dig a little deeper into the latter, and see what this terror is all about and what can be done to manage it. To begin with, does being inside an elevator give you chills or the sweats? Or does it trigger an unpleasant memory? Perhaps you remember movies you've watched where something terrible happens inside an elevator. From Silence of the Lambs, The Shining, Final Destination 2, or the king of all elevator horror films, 2010’s Devil, the elevator becomes witness to something sinister and horrible. And you want nothing to do with any of it. You know that you're not claustrophobic. You can deal with heights just fine, too. And you know that you're not going to be trapped inside. All of these contribute to a fear of elevators—but they don't apply to you. Yet being inside one does something to you. It's hard to explain.

What is the Fear of Elevators Called?

What you have is a fear of elevators, which is called elevatophobia. It is most commonly triggered by an experience of getting stuck inside either due to a power outage or technical maintenance. Hearing about other people's experiences or watching a movie about similar circumstances can prompt a fear of elevators getting stuck with you inside. Usually, claustrophobics and agoraphobics may also develop elevatophobia because the triggers and objects of these fears are related. Claustrophobia is the fear of closed and cramped spaces, while agoraphobia is the fear of being trapped without any means of escape. Put the two together, and the elevator becomes the perfect combination of both phobias. The space is limited and closed, with only one means of entry and exit. You can add another point of access if you consider climbing the cables like they do in the movies, but that certainly isn't ideal.

Symptoms of Elevatophobia

If for some reason an elevator stops due to an outage or some technical difficulty, passengers with elevatophobia may go into full panic mode. Even if the maintenance team advises that it will just be a matter of minutes, by then, the person's mind has become irrational with the fear of the elevator falling, being stuck for hours, or other unpleasant thoughts. You would expect a person to exhibit the following physical symptoms: Additionally, you would be filled with that overwhelming anxiety where you feel that you have zero control over the situation. You start fearing the unknown and are filled with negative thoughts about death and imminent doom. You become irrational and unresponsive.

Possible Complications of Elevatophobia

When the panic sets in, the possibility of emergencies related to pre-existing conditions may make themselves known. This might include serious health crises like heart attacks or asthma attacks. When this happens, fear becomes a medical emergency. Elevator rides do not last long; it's just a matter of minutes or even less. But the fact that a person can escalate from panic to a near fatal medical situation classifies the fear of elevators as a 'hard phobia.'

Trying Some Self-Help Methods

Your fear of elevators can likely interfere with your social and work life and relationships. Not everyone understands that elevatophobia, like most phobias, can be crippling. But don't be disheartened. Depending on the level of your fear and level of control, you can gradually face and manage your phobia. Here are some recommendations you can try:
  1. Make a List of Everything that Entails Riding in an Elevator This is a systematic approach to getting over your anxiety. By following a step-by-step process, you can identify where the fear kicks in at its strongest. You can write a list of steps like pressing the topmost button and waiting to arrive on that floor, watching as the door closes and opens, being alone inside the elevator, or having delays with the doors opening. Now try doing the opposite. For example, face away from the door or occupy yourself with your phone so that you are distracted.
  2. Create Your Fear Ladder Although the name says fear of elevators, it is not the whole process that scares you. There are just phases and parts of the elevator riding experience that cause you to panic. So go back to the list you initially created and label the fear level you feel. You can do it numerically, too, like ten being 'really scary,' six, 'manageable scary,' and one, 'not scary at all.' You can put the corresponding fear levels so you can focus more time and effort into activities that are more scary to you.
  3. Face Your Fear By now, you have identified what scares you the most. You can try repetitive action to minimize your fear and increase your sense of ‘normalcy’. Remember that the longer you expose yourself to your fear, the better you get at handling your emotions. If you are feeling overwhelmed, stop. Pushing yourself too fast and too soon can backfire. Modify your pace and go slower instead.
  4. Talk About Your Fear People by nature, unfortunately, are not quick to offer understanding and support. You need to tell them what's wrong before they can empathize. Talk to someone who you trust and ask for their support, especially in the initial phase of overcoming your fear. If you are too afraid to ride the elevator alone, you can ask them to go with you, and before you realize it, you are on your floor, and there was no indication of panic.
  5. Learn To Be Patient Be patient with yourself and your predicament. This is, after all, your fight against fear. It might take hundreds of elevator ride practices before the fear gets under control. Even then, there might be some hesitations and episodes of nervousness. These are acceptable and expected, so cut yourself some slack and congratulate yourself for every progress.

Seeking Professional Help

Along with self-help, you can always enlist a medical professional's aid to support you with your elevatophobia. Talking to someone who has experience with similar cases can be comforting, because you know that you are not alone, and this situation can get better. Talk to your doctor about the severity of your fears and the symptoms that you experience. Explain how you deal with it in an attempt to control it. An exam and a health history are made to ensure that there are no unrelated or underlying problems that your symptoms might mask. Usually, phobias like this are approached with a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Your doctor will talk about these options with you, and it's entirely up to you, with your doctor's recommendation, what you want to pursue. For psychotherapy, the most common type is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which aims to help you find different ways of behaving, thinking, and reacting when about to step inside an elevator or when already inside it. With medications, there are beta blockers and benzodiazepines, but note that these can have side effects. Whatever these side effects are, you should promptly share it with your doctor.

Simple Tips to Overcome Elevatophobia

Elevators are not perfect, but their likelihood to malfunction, fall, or get stuck is very low. If you are not fully confident with this information, you can help overcome your elevatophobia by learning common elevator safety tips and basic elevator operations. These should help curb your mild fear until you become more self-assured. In addition to that, here are some of the things that you can do to gradually overcome your fear of elevators—both in getting on and riding one.

Conclusion

Yes, elevatophobia can be a challenge in today's world, but don't allow the elevator to win. Don't let it stop you from taking a job on the top floor or attending a social gathering on the rooftop. Sure, you can take the stairs if you insist and arrive winded and sweaty, with the party about to wrap up. But is this the quality of life you seek? Elevators are designed to make life easier. There are guaranteed ways to help you overcome elevatophobia. Take the first step and seek help. Soon, you’ll see yourself breezing through the floors with those arduous stair climbs little more than a memory.
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