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Animal Phobias

Agrizoophobia – Fear of Wild Animals

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Fear of Wild Animals: Greatest Animal Fear

Have you ever come across  wildlife shows while channel surfing and quickly changed the channel? Does the thought of encountering any wild animal, even a raccoon, fill you with dread? Do you have trouble focusing on tasks because you’re afraid that wild animals may attack you?

If this sounds familiar, you may be dealing with agrizoophobia or the fear of wild animals.

Agrizoophobia is an irrational fear related to wildlife, which can make one feel constantly worried and afraid. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what agrizoophobia entails and some common symptoms you should watch for, as well as explore effective strategies to overcome it.

What You Need to Know about Agrizoophobia

So, now you know what your fear of wild animals is called. But what does agrizoophobia mean?

The term “agrizoophobia” is derived from the combination of agros (Greek for ‘field’), zoo (Greek for ‘animal’), and phobia (Greek for ‘fear’).

And while the agrizoophobia meaning is simple, it’s often confused with zoophobia, which is a phobia of all animals. Agrizoophobia, however, is only related to wild animals. So, a person with this phobia may enjoy being around domesticated animals like dogs, cats, or horses, but even the thought of wild animals like tigers, foxes, or wolves may cause extreme fear and panic.

Now, fearing wild animals is quite understandable. Wildlife can be scary, and many wild animals are dangerous. In fact, agrizoophobia belongs to the list of most common phobias because many people are naturally afraid of creatures who may cause harm.

However, what distinguishes fear from a phobia is that a phobia is more extreme. There may even be times when the phobia can cause debilitating effects in a person’s life.

 

Agrizoophobia Causes

If you have agrizoophobia, you may find yourself wondering, “Why am I scared of animals?” The development of phobias such as agrizoophobia is a complicated process that involves numerous factors. That’s why it is recommended you consult a mental health professional to identify specific triggers.

Like most phobias, however, agrizoophobia is also a combination of a person’s genetic history and learned experiences.

If an individual has had a traumatic encounter with a wild animal, the event may cause them to be afraid of all types of wild animals instead of only that one particular creature.

Even if you live in a place where wild animals are rare, you may develop agrizoophobia if your culture or community teaches people to be afraid of wildlife. For example, if you watch a lot of movies about animal attacks, you might come to fear them more than you should. Children can also become fearful of wild animals, because they are taught to be afraid by their parents, caregivers, or other adults.

Phobias may also result from genetic predispositions. So, if there is a family history of phobia or anxiety, you’re at a greater risk of developing a phobia.

Certain brain chemicals may also be responsible for the development of extreme fears such as agrizoophobia. This is especially the case when the brain’s fear center, the amygdala, becomes hyperactive.

 

Agrizoophobia Symptoms

Agrizoophobia symptoms, both physical and psychological, may vary among individuals. Take a look at some of the most common signs of agrizoophobia.

Physical Symptoms

  • Heart palpitations
  • Chest pain
  • Panting
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Perspiring
  • Stomachache
  • Muscle tension
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Shaking

Psychological Symptoms

  • Obsessive thoughts about wild animals
  • Constantly remembering previous encounters or creating imaginary scenarios about wild animals
  • Worrying about meeting wild animals in everyday life
  • Difficulty going somewhere where wild animals may be present
  • Fear of public spaces
  • Depression
  • Low self-confidence

You may have one or more of these symptoms, or you may have others not mentioned in this list. It’s important to seek the help of a mental health professional to better understand your phobia. They may also rule out underlying medical conditions that may be confused with agrizoophobia.

Agrizoophobia Treatment

Currently, there is no definite cure for phobias. However, there are many therapies that will help manage it. So, while you may not be able to completely wipe out your fear of wild animals, you can learn to cope regardless of the fear.

Self-Help

Before seeking professional help, there are several self-help methods you can try. Relaxation techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga, for example, are known to help deal with the anxiety and depression that may occur from a phobia.

You may also consider maintaining a journal to keep track of your thoughts and emotions. A written record of your experiences will also help you track your triggers so you can be better prepared to deal with them.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)  focuses on identifying thoughts that cause agrizoophobia and the behaviors that accompany it so that they can be changed. In CBT, the therapist helps the client become familiar with his or her fears and guides them to overcome it.

Exposure Therapy

An exposure therapist will gradually expose an individual with a phobia to the feared stimulus (in this case, wild animals) in a safe environment. This may be done in real life or virtual reality. The exposure is done in small steps to help the patient learn to cope with wild animals without being too challenged.

Coping with Agrizoophobia

It may not be possible to entirely erase your fear of wild animals, especially because fearing wild animals that may hurt you is a healthy, natural response. However, you can learn to dial down your anxiety level, so you can live a more normal life.

If the fear of wild animals interferes with daily life, consider consulting with a professional. Also, try seeking support from your friends and loved ones, or join an agrizoophobia support group.

Most important of all, don’t put yourself down because you’re afraid of wild animals. It is much easier to make changes if you don’t punish yourself for your perceived flaws. Remind yourself that being scared of wild animals is not silly; it is just your brain creating a fear response that is greater than average.

 

The Fear of Wild Animals Ain’t So Wild After All!

You may have learned about agrizoophobia while researching your fear of wild animals. And you may have let out a sigh of relief when you realized it’s not so “irrational” after all. Yet you may still have some work to do on your exaggerated fear response.

Learning more about your condition already puts you ahead of the game. Here’s to better life experiences, whether wild animals are involved or not!

 

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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