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Rare Phobias

Dumasaphobia – Fear of Stupid People

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Use the Smart Approach with Dumasaphobia

Being around people who are “stupid” can be annoying. But does your annoyance go beyond mere irritation? Does it become fear? Do you feel that people who act dumb are going to bring about the end of the world? Are you constantly worrying about those with low intelligence making things worse for everyone?

If you answer the above questions with a resounding yes, you are probably suffering from dumasaphobia, the fear of dumb people.

Explaining yourself to people can be difficult. After all, who would understand how those that make poor decisions or act in ignorant ways fills you with terror? It’s an unusual fear that’s not easy to deal with or even explain for that matter.

But if you feel you’re alone in your struggle, you are not. There are many different kinds of phobias and a good percentage of the world’s population suffers from one or another, including dumasaphobia. But with positive thinking and an open mind, you can begin to open doors to a healthier, happier you.

So, let’s take a closer look at what dumasaphobia is, what causes this fear, and how it can be treated.

 

What Is Dumasaphobia?

Dumasaphobia is an irrational fear that produces extreme anxiety when a person spots a stupid act or encounters someone saying something ignorant. It initiates a series of extreme symptoms and avoidance behavior.

Some with dumasaphobia are afraid of even spotting irresponsible activity. They may run from any place where they think someone is acting in an ignorant or unintelligent manner.

Individuals suffering from dumasaphobia are constantly worried about dealing with stupid people. Those with this phobia often avoid going outside, or they keep to themselves as much as possible.

Some with a fear of dumb people may feel fighting off stupidity is more difficult than fighting off evil. After all, debating with a stupid person and trying to make them see reason is sometimes like talking to a wall.

While some laugh off stupidity, those with dumasaphobia experience extreme anxiety and even panic attacks. They may be triggered by actions such as:

  • Someone talking on the phone while driving;
  • Someone multitasking, such as drinking coffee and crossing the road, walking and texting, etc.;
  • A person standing in the middle of a doorway or aisle while talking on the phone;
  • People ignoring warning signs;
  • People not signaling their intentions or making irrational decisions;
  • Someone performing risky stunts for social media.

Many people worry that the stupidity of these people will affect not only them but those around them. They avoid these types of people, so they don’t become a victim of stupid actions.

Causes of Dumasaphobia

The exact cause of any phobia is unknown. However, there are general factors that alone or in combination lead to the development of a phobia. Previous traumatic experiences, genetics, and the environment one lives in all play a role in a person potentially developing dumasaphobia.

A person who suffered a car accident due to the stupidity or rash driving of another may develop dumasphobia. Someone who lost something because of the carelessness of someone else is also at a higher risk of developing this phobia.

This fear of idiots phobia may also have a genetic cause. If the person has someone in the family suffering from an anxiety disorder, other specific phobias, or depression, that person may be genetically predisposed to mental health issues and can be triggered to develop phobias including the phobia of stupid people.

 

Symptoms of Dumasaphobia

Dumasaphobia shares similar symptoms with other specific phobias. One will typically experience extreme anxiety with other physical and mental/emotional symptoms. Some of them are as follows:

Physical Symptoms

  • Sweating
  • Trembling
  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Stomach upset
  • Chest tightening
  • Increased heartbeat
  • High blood pressure
  • Disorientation

Mental/Emotional Symptoms

  • Anxiety
  • Panic attack
  • Feeling of dread
  • Fear of meeting an accident
  • Anticipating drastic events like explosions, accidents, etc
  • Strong desire to flee the spot

 

Treatment for Dumasaphobia

There is no one form of treatment for the phobia of stupidity. However, treatment plans that work for other specific phobias also work for dumasaphobia.

Self-Help

The first step towards self-help is recognizing that the issue is not “stupid people” but rather an imbalance in your thought process. Everyone makes stupid decisions in their lifetime, but feeling fearful of a person for some foolish thing they did or labeling them as stupid is irrational.

While stupid actions can lead to tragic events, bad things are not always the aftermath of stupidity.

It’s important to learn how to separate your rational and irrational thoughts. It’s equally important to learn ways to calm your anxiety when faced with triggers dealing with stupidity.

Some of the things you can do to help yourself are:

  • Meditation
  • Yoga
  • Exercise
  • Deep breathing
  • Relaxation techniques

The above-mentioned techniques help to clear your mind and rationalize your thoughts. You can also start journaling to note your thought patterns, reactions, what caused them, symptoms, etc. You can then separate the causes into rational and irrational ones and try to understand your mind better.

Professional Help

Reaching out for professional help is usually advisable when dealing with phobias. A mental health professional will be able to accurately diagnose your issue and recommend the best treatment plan. Some therapies used for treating specific phobias like dumasaphobia are:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Dialectical behavior therapy
  • Exposure therapy

In cases when the symptoms are extreme, medication may also be prescribed, such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications. These are not for treatment of the phobia itself, but for calming the symptoms.

 

Living with Dumasaphobia

Living in constant worry of encountering stupid people or stupidity in general is no joke. It can interfere with your social and professional life and impede relationships as well.

Why not take the necessary steps to work towards calming your mind and eliminating your symptoms? Reach out to mental health experts and let them guide you.

You could also try opening up to close friends and family, so they can support you in your healing journey.

 

Conclusion

Dumasaphobia can be a cause of constant worry and affect various aspects of a person’s life. However, there is hope. With patience, time, and professional help, you can kiss your fears goodbye. And one day, you might find yourself laughing off someone’s stupid actions.

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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