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

Queunliskanphobia – Fear of Saliva

Share This Article
Share Post

Queunliskanphobia – Fear or Disgust?

Does the prospect of kissing send shivers down your spine? Do you refuse to drink from someone’s cup or eat off someone else’s utensils? What about licking an envelope?

If you often find yourself freaked out at the thought of saliva or spit, you may be suffering from queunliskanphobia, or the fear of saliva.

Explaining why you avoid kissing or why you refuse to share a straw or drink from a glass that someone has sipped from can be awkward. However, you’re not alone. There are many who suffer from different kinds of phobias, including queuenliskanphobia. Luckily, there are plenty of resources available to help you overcome it.

Getting treatment for your fear of saliva is possible. With a dedicated approach, you can leave your phobia of saliva behind and live a happy life.

 

What Is Queunliskanphobia?

Queunliskanphobia is the fear of spit. It is considered a disgust phobia where the sufferer is disgusted by the concept of saliva. It could also be a contamination obsession that is often seen in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

If this phobia is a result of contamination OCD, the person becomes worried or fearful of becoming contaminated or contracting disease through saliva. Many not only fear saliva but also other bodily fluids.

Some worry that they could become the vector in the spread of an illness. It can cause a need to control the situation and protect themselves and others from getting infected.

Queunliskanphobia can be debilitating, because it may cause avoidance of intimate contact. Not only can it impact romantic relationships, but it can also affect social life. Some with queunliskanphobia may worry about their food or drink becoming contaminated by someone else touching their food or utensils.

Additionally, if you’re wondering Why do I choke on my own saliva?, it may also be due to the phobia of saliva. Many sufferers of queunliskanphobia fear not only others’ saliva but also their own. Many in this situation avoid swallowing their own saliva. And in cases when they do not have an option but to swallow, it is natural that they may experience a choking sensation.

Symptoms of Queunliskanphobia

The symptoms of queunliskanphobia can vary in intensity depending on the severity of the phobia. Take a look at some common physical and mental/emotional symptoms of the fear of saliva.

Physical Symptoms

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Light-headedness
  • Rapid breathing
  • Dizziness
  • Heart palpitations
  • Cold sweats
  • Excessive washing or sanitizing
  • Avoid talking to people
  • Carrying their own cutlery
  • Wearing a face mask all the time

Mental/Emotional Symptoms

  • Detachment from reality
  • Anxiety
  • Panic attacks
  • Fear of getting contaminated
  • Fear of getting sick or dirty
  • Anger and irritability
  • Strong urge to control things

 

Causes of Queunliskanphobia

It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of any phobia, including queunliskanphobia. However, there are several theories as to what could lead to a person developing a phobia of saliva.

Environmental Factors

Sometimes a past experience can be enough to set the wheels in motion. Someone who shared a meal with another and later got sick could connect the two incidents and conclude that the reason for their sickness was the person they shared a meal with.

Genetic Factors

One’s predisposition to mental illness has a major influence on the development of any phobia. If you already suffer from depression, anxiety, or panic disorder, it increases the risk of developing other anxiety-related disorders such as phobias.

For those who are genetically prone to mental disorders, someone narrating the incident of how they got sick after sharing a spoon or utensil with someone else may be enough to trigger a fear of saliva.

A person may even have an acquaintance suffering from the phobia of saliva, which can expose them to learning about and witnessing the symptoms of this fear and later developing it themselves.

 

Treatment of Queunliskanphobia

Just as there is no definitive cause for queunliskanphobia, there is no definitive treatment either. However, as the phobia of saliva is an anxiety phobia, the treatment methods used for other anxiety phobias work for queunliskanphobia as well.

Self-Help

Self-help is one of the most effective approaches for dealing with any phobia. A phobia is an irrational fear, and once the sufferer recognizes that, they can move on to practicing various techniques that can help them deal with it.

There are several things you can do to overcome a phobia of saliva. You could start journaling, which is a great way of understanding your thoughts and symptoms. Journaling also allows you to revisit the entries and examine them for rational or irrational thought patterns.

Here are some relaxation techniques that are also known to be effective at easing the symptoms of a phobia:

  • Yoga
  • Meditation
  • Exercise
  • Deep breathing
  • Rhythmic breathing
  • Counting numbers

Professional Help

There’s no denying the contribution of professional help in the diagnosis and recovery of any mental illness, such as queunliskanphobia. Mental health professionals deal with phobias on a daily basis and have the knowledge and experience needed. They are your best resource for determining the most effective treatment according to your symptoms and the severity of the phobia.

The most common therapies utilized for the treatment of the fear of saliva are:

  • Talking therapies
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Exposure therapy
  • Medication

 

Learning to Cope with Queunliskanphobia

Living with any phobia is difficult. For someone with queunliskanphobia it can be even harder, because it’s often combined with OCD. One suffering from the fear of saliva tends to stay away from others for fear of coming into contact with saliva or getting saliva on their belongings.

The phobia of saliva can restrict a person to their home and significantly affect their social and personal relationships. That’s why it’s important to speak out and seek help.

Apart from your family and friends, you can also join one of the many online and in-person support groups for those dealing with phobias. It can help you to connect with people who are in the same boat and can better understand your thoughts and fears.

 

Conclusion

The fear of saliva is not something to be taken lightly. If you suspect you are suffering from queunliskanphobia, seek help from a mental health professional. You can also boost your treatment with self-help methods. With time, patience, and a strong will, you can learn to deal with this phobia and possibly even overcome it.

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