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Body Phobias

Coprastasophobia – The Fear of Constipation

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Do you have a fear of pooping because of pain?

Do you worry about becoming constipated and go to extreme lengths to avoid it?

Do you feel yourself panicking at the mere thought of constipation?

If your answer to these questions is yes, then you are likely suffering from coprastasophobia, or the fear of constipation.

Being afraid of constipation may seem rational to you. After all, who wants the pain and stress that comes with being unable to poop when you need to?

The terror of sitting on the toilet unable to empty your bowels can be paralyzing—your heart pounds, your sweat glands work overtime, your limbs shake, and your entire lower body feels heavy. Constipation is stressful, so it’s no wonder you want to avoid it.

Living with a fear of constipation can take over your life. And if you fear your feelings are invalid, you may be hesitant to share your problem with anyone else, even your doctor.

But your fear is real, and your feelings are valid. You are also not beyond hope. It’s possible to overcome your fears if you can self-reflect and learn the cause of your phobia.

What Is Coprastasophobia?

Coprastasophobia is the fear of constipation. It originates from the term copro, which in Greek means feces, sta, the Latin word for fixed, and Phobos, the Greek god and personification of fear.

Those suffering from this condition experience a high level of anxiety merely thinking about being constipated. Such a fear, if left unattended, may result in depression or panic disorder as a consequence.

Coprastasophobics may go to extreme lengths to avoid constipation. Some may take laxatives multiple times a day, which can lead to other health problems.

Others may consume digestive supplements for a healthy gut, which in itself is not problematic. But the psychological stress of being unable to go a day or even a meal without taking such supplements can take its toll.

Those who fear constipation may go on a carefully designed prescription diet to eliminate any possibility of constipation. Of course, such a diet can lead to long-term health and wellness. However, obsessive food monitoring and entirely abstaining from certain ingredients because of a phobia may also result in health concerns.

What Causes the Fear of Constipation?

Phobias and irrational fears can stem from different causes, and the key to treating any health issue is understanding the root of it.

Coprastasophoia has no standard causes; nevertheless, genetics and one’s environment play decisive roles in the growth of this condition.

Family History

Try to think back on your life so far, all the way to your childhood. Did your parents warn you about the danger of constipation to get you to eat your fruits and veggies? Does anyone in your family suffer from coprastasophobia as well?

Someone with a family history of mental illness such as anxiety disorders or certain specific phobias may have a greater risk of developing the fear of constipation.

Trauma

Perhaps you’ve had your own bad experiences with constipation, and you’ve become fearful of ever going through it again. Or maybe a friend, family member, or colleague shared their constipation horror story, and you’ve never been able to forget it. Any emotionally painful event or trauma associated with constipation can lead to a phobia.

Digestive Issues

Another possible cause of coprastasophobia could be a history of irritable bowel syndrome. Digestive problems can lead to lethargy and pain. There can be long-term consequences of being constipated, such as colon problems. Someone suffering from stomach and bowel distress can become phobic about regularity.

Regardless of the source of your phobia, it’s something that can be difficult or even impossible to live with. It can take a toll on so many aspects of your life that you may wonder how you can get rid of this irrational fear.

What Are the Symptoms of Coprastasophobia?

Mental/Emotional Symptoms

All phobias lead to extreme behaviors to avoid the source of the trigger. Similarly, people with coprastasophobia go to extreme lengths to ensure that they never experience constipation.

These measures vary from person to person, but here are some common habits in coprastasophobics:

  • Constant fear of digestive issues
  • Eliminating certain foods from diet
  • Extreme anxiety at the thought of constipation
  • Feelings of dread during or after every meal
  • Obsessive thoughts about digestion and constipation
  • Mood swings and irritability
  • Reliving previous or even fictional experiences of constipation
  • Sticking to the same ingredients daily
  • Taking heavy medicines or supplements
  • Withdrawing from relationships

Physical Symptoms

Of all the symptoms of coprastasophobia, the most prevalent is anxiety. Extreme anxiety can lead to panic attacks. Anxiety and panic attacks manifest in different ways, but here are some of the most common physical symptoms:

  • Chest pain
  • Choking sensation
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Disorientation or confusion
  • Dizziness
  • Dry mouth
  • Heart palpitations or rapid heartbeat
  • Hot flush
  • Nausea
  • Numbness
  • Ringing ears
  • Shaking
  • Sweating

Dealing with Coprastasophobia

Since there are no absolute causes of coprastasophobia, no one treatment is perfectly effective for this condition.

However, this doesn’t mean it’s untreatable. If your paralyzing fear of constipation is keeping you from experiencing all that life has to offer, several forms of treatment can significantly dial down most of the symptoms of coprastasophobia.

Self-Help Options for Coprastasophobia

Exercise

The American Psychology Association says that exercise helps the mind deal more effectively with stressful situations. Furthermore, exercise is beneficial for those suffering from anxiety disorders like coprastasophobia. Cardiovascular exercise, weight-resistance training, and aerobic exercise can help relieve the consequent stress.

Relaxation Techniques

Yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and other similar relaxation techniques can help control breathing and alleviate stress. When you concentrate on your body in the present and let go of fears and other negative feelings, you can begin to develop a more rational and calm response to your fears.

Professional Help for Coprastasophobia

Some widely used treatments for phobias include:

Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is the most widely administered treatment for people suffering from various phobias. In the case of coprastasophobia, you may be exposed to the natural processes that occur in the body during constipation while simultaneously educating you on the issue.

Education is crucial for those with coprastasophobia. Greater exposure to the source of fear (the complexity of the digestive system) makes the fear less potent over time.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is another form of treatment used to help those with a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and other similar conditions.

Through CBT, those with coprastasophobia may come to understand why they think the way they do. Understanding the fundamentals of your reflexes may help you take a more sensible approach to this fear.

Coping with Coprastasophobia

The best way to overcome any difficulty is to take good care of yourself. Knowing how to help yourself is vital to controlling your fear of constipation and avoiding a severe physical or mental/emotional response.

It’s also important to acknowledge the existence of your fear and seek support to help you deal with it. Compassionate family members and friends can help with anxiety symptoms, and working with a professional can help you find the root cause of your fear and deal with it effectively.

Final Thoughts
Managing your fear of constipation is not an overnight process. But it’s important to seek help managing your anxiety, so you can go back to normal life. Soon enough, you’ll be able to eat anything you want without fear of what happens next.

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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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