Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer
3K
3K
740
3K
Menu
Menu
static-img
Rare Phobias

Fear of Rocks – Petraphobia

Share This Article
Share Post

Petraphobia Is Hard to Deal With

Does the sight of rocks cause you to feel faint or frightened? Do you get queasy just thinking about rock climbing?

Do you get chills and break into a sweat when you pass by construction sites or mountains? Are you scared stiff that a rock might fall on you?

While those big rocks are scary, some people fear rocks even if they are not likely to harm them. They may go all out to avoid places with rocks, houses with rocks, and events where they may see rocks. They may even avoid going to work if they need to drive through a rocky path.

If you can relate to these situations, you may have petraphobia, a fear of rocks.

The good news is that there are ways to deal with your fear of rocks. Self-help and professional therapy can get you back on track. Read on to learn what petraphobia is, the causes, symptoms, and treatments.

Some Petraphobia Causes

Most phobias usually develop in early childhood. Direct experience, observing someone else with the fear, or genetics may cause a phobia.

You may develop petraphobia following a traumatic experience. If a rock hit you during your childhood and caused you to sustain severe injuries, it may have deeply impacted you. The incident could have caused you to develop a phobia.

If you grew up with a family member or someone with this phobia, observing them may have caused the phobia over time. For example, if your father had petraphobia and you watched him struggle, you may develop the phobia too.

Sometimes, informational learning may cause a phobia. For example, you may fear flying in an airplane after learning about a recent crash.

Genetic factors may also cause phobias. Parents and grandparents with psychological issues may pass on the phobia.

Some Things You Need to Know about Petraphobia

Petraphobia is a combination of the Greek words petros, meaning “stone” or “rock,” and phobia, meaning “fear.” Even though it is not on the list of most common phobias, it still affects people worldwide.

People often confuse disliking something with having a phobia. If you cringe at the sight of something, like a rock, it may just be disgust and not a phobia. However, if the mere thought of rocks or seeing them on television gives you anxiety and chills, it may be a case of petraphobia.

An individual with a phobia may experience severe physical and psychological symptoms. The very thought or sight of the dreaded object may disturb their daily lives.

Petraphobia Symptoms

Petraphobia is a strong, irrational fear. Your fear of rocks may be more intense than the actual danger the rocks pose. This irrational fear can affect your day-to-day life.

When your brain overestimates the threat of rocks, it triggers extreme anxiety. If you have petraphobia, you may go to great lengths to avoid situations that involve rocks and stones.

The symptoms of each type of phobia are unique and depend on the object or situation the person is afraid of. However, a person with petraphobia may show the following signs:

Physical Symptoms

  • Sweating
  • Nausea
  • Dry mouth
  • Tightness in chest
  • Excessive sweating
  • Trembling
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Dizziness

Psychological Symptoms

  • Feeling overwhelmed
  • Panic attacks
  • Uncontrollable thoughts
  • Depression
  • Feeling out of control
  • Constant worry

Symptoms can vary depending on how severe the phobia is and your proximity to the rocks.

Diagnosis of Petraphobia

Phobias are generally diagnosed based on criteria outlined in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). A clinician examines you to see if you meet specific DSM-defined criteria.

Talk to your doctor or a psychologist if you suspect you have a phobia. The doctor will ask about your symptoms and review your history to offer suitable treatment.

Petraphobia Treatments

Fear of rocks may not affect your day-to-day activities if you live in a city where there aren’t many rocks.

If your rock phobia doesn’t impact your life much, it’s probably nothing to be concerned about.

However, if you can’t do things you would typically enjoy because you want to avoid the object, activity, or situation that triggers the phobia, you might want to seek help.

Self-Help

Meditation

Meditation is a practice that trains our minds so we can stay calmer and feel more at ease. So, in essence, we’re removing ourselves from the everyday routine for just a few minutes.

Meditation helps reduce anxiety, stress, blood pressure, and other phobia-related symptoms.

Support Groups

You could also try joining a support group. Support groups allow people with similar problems, such as a rocks fear, to come together.

The members regularly discuss their issues, share ideas, and find ways to cope with their fear. Such groups offer you a safe space to talk without being judged.

Many support groups have a moderator who oversees the talks, which usually focus on a particular subject.

Share Your Thoughts with Family and Friends – Discussion

A friend or family member can be a great support system for anyone with a phobia.

If you’re at ease doing it, tell your close family and friends about your fear so they can help. They may be able to join hands with you and help you overcome your fear.

A support circle comes in handy, especially when trying self-help techniques.

Professional Help

Counseling

During counseling, a therapist listens to your worries and helps you overcome them with talk therapy and guidance.

Talk therapy often involves describing the impact phobias have on life.

Psychotherapy

During psychotherapy, a therapist helps identify the root cause of the fear and helps you to overcome it. People with phobias often talk negatively about themselves, making them more afraid.

A therapist can help you cope with your fears, resolve the core issue, and change your negative outlook.

Desensitization or Exposure Therapy

Therapists often incorporate this form of behavioral therapy in the treatment of many specific phobias. It is also known as exposure therapy.

The therapy involves gradual exposure to the object or situation you fear. Gradually exposing yourself to your fear tends to reduce anxiety.

Virtual Reality (VR)

Virtual reality lets those with a phobia live out their fears in a safe environment where they can leave anytime. It allows the therapist to simulate experiences that aren’t always common or easy to encounter in everyday life.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy examines patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that may be related to the phobia. It then suggests strategies to modify them.

The therapy helps people understand how their irrational thoughts worsen their symptoms.

You can also use computerized cognitive behavioral therapy to deal with anxiety, phobias, and depression.

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy might help you manage and overcome your phobias.

A hypnotherapist employs guided visualization so that you can imagine yourself facing the object of your dread in a safe setting.

During hypnotherapy, you are in a relaxed state. The therapist will help you face your fears through gentle guidance, affirmations, and suggestions.

Learning to Cope with Petraphobia

You may feel tempted to avoid places with rocks and stones that trigger petraphobia, but doing so will only worsen your condition.

So rather than avoiding your fears, gradually expose yourself to them until you stop feeling so anxious.

You can also make lifestyle changes to manage your anxiety. Try these:

  • Eat a balanced diet
  • Exercise every day
  • Practice stress-reduction methods like yoga

In Conclusion
Petraphobia is not as common as other phobias, but it is real and often crippling since rocks are everywhere. You may feel ill at ease seeking help, but early diagnosis and treatment can help you better cope with the fear. If you think you may have this phobia, get early treatment so your fears don’t dictate your life.

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.
0LikesShare Post

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.
This Pop-up Is Included in the Theme
Best Choice for Creatives
Purchase Now