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Body Phobias

Rhytiphobia – Fear of Getting Wrinkles

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The Fear of Wrinkles, or Rhytiphobia

With age comes wisdom, maturity, sore joints and wrinkles. But what if the very prospect of developing wrinkles makes your heart pound, causes your palms to sweat, and overcomes you with an illogical fear?

A deep-seated fear of wrinkles can come up because it is often linked to a fear of getting older. It’s not just ego; it’s about time, losing youth, and the changes that come with it. People who are afraid of this can go to great lengths with their skin care habits, cosmetic procedures, and even avoiding reality.

This excessive fear shows how much society covets the ability to stay young. We all want to look our best, but it’s important to find a balance between that desire and acceptance and love for the journey and wisdom that come with getting older.

Some people learn to accept that wrinkles are an inevitable aspect of aging but for people this is not the path and they can develop rhytiphobia, the idea is a significant source of fear, depression, and anxiety. If you’re dealing with rhytiphobia, knowing more about your condition is the first step to helping you manage it.

 

Why Rhytiphobia?

Rhytiphobia is the irrational fear of fine lines or wrinkles.  Surprisingly, many share this wrinkle anxiety although there are those whose fears are more debilitating.

Many women proactively use moisturizers and other skincare products to manage and avoid the formation of wrinkles for as long as possible. But they understand and accept that it’s normal and part of getting old.

Unfortunately, some people go through a gamut of negative emotions at the very thought of having wrinkles or even if they see somebody else’s wrinkles. This is primarily caused by an irrational fear of having these lines on their faces. As a result, they take extensive measures to delay and get rid of these natural skin creases.

Some who suffer extreme cases of rhytiphobia harbor feelings of deep shame about themselves. They have poor self-confidence even if the development of wrinkles is normal.

 

Symptoms of Rhytiphobia

Like any phobia, the symptoms of rhytiphobia vary in extent and frequency. Some can manage to look at wrinkles and even talk about them despite a little discomfort. Those with more severe cases of rhytiphobia often manifest physical, mental, and emotional symptoms.

Here are the standard indicators and behaviors of someone with rhytiphobia:

  • Physical symptoms that include one or several of these: excessive sweating, dry mouth, nausea, shallow breathing, headache, increased heart rate, and vomiting
  • Extreme depression upon seeing a wrinkle, either on your body and face or on someone else
  • Anxiety at the thought of having these skin creases
  • Becoming anti-social because of what you assume people will think of you and your wrinkles
  • Poor concentration because you are too fixated on your wrinkles
  • Irritability with mood swings
  • Obsession with various skin care products and trying them all without thought
  • Excessive spending on different skin care treatments

 

Potential Causes of Rhytiphobia

The root cause of phobias, including rhytiphobia, is hard to determine, but like most of these irrational fears, it can be due to genetics, your environment, or perceptions.

Genetics

If your family has a history of other phobias like gerascophobia or the fear of getting old or any anxiety disorders or mental illnesses, you have a higher chance of developing wrinkle anxiety.

Environment

The trauma you experienced growing up can cause you to become fearful at the prospect of becoming unattractive. You’re afraid that having wrinkles will make you subject to bullying and criticism.

Perception

Your perception is another reason for developing rhytiphobia. Your mind is not open to the reality that changes in your skin and body will eventually happen. Additionally, you may be too caught up with the misleading and even pretentious social standards for beauty in older women.

Unfortunately, the way you think is a powerful force that can negatively impact you in several ways.

 

Rhytiphobia Treatment

There is no singular solution for getting rid of this fear. Each case should be managed based on its severity and how committed the person is to resolving their fears. The good news is there are several treatment options you can try. These can be done on their own or simultaneously as selected complementary therapies.

Self-Help Options

If you’re determined to take control of your wrinkle phobia, you can begin with a few self-help treatments.

Acknowledge Your Fear

This may be the hardest step of all, but continuing to deny your phobia and pretending that your reactions are normal won’t help. Admit that wrinkles are harmless and inevitable. Shifting your mindset to, There’s nothing to fear, is the first but most challenging step of all.

Consider starting a journal to document and express your thoughts and emotions as you learn to acknowledge rhytiphobia.

Learn about Wrinkles

Get to know your enemy to empower yourself and discover that there’s nothing to fear. Find out what causes wrinkles, learn the types of wrinkles, go to message boards and see what people think about their wrinkles, etc. Exposing yourself to wrinkles normalizes them and shows you that they’re perfectly acceptable to have.

Try Relaxation Techniques

Whenever you feel your fear rising, do breathing exercises, practice yoga, or meditate. Calm your mind and body, and let the anxiety slowly flow out of you.

Getting Professional Help

Your healthcare expert can answer your questions and provide you with a structured treatment plan that may include different forms of therapy such as:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Exposure therapy
  • Talk therapy

Your doctor may also decide to give you medications, such as beta blockers and sleeping pills.

 

Living with Rhytiphobia

A life lived in fear is no way to live, especially if you’re unnecessarily afraid of something. At a glance, rhytiphobia doesn’t seem like a major issue, but it can have several negative effects. Your fear of getting wrinkles can impact your self-confidence, make you feel ashamed or embarrassed, and even lead you to avoid others with wrinkles.

Make the decision to do something about rhytiphobia now. The sooner you start, the earlier you’ll get some relief.

 

Celebrate Your Wrinkles

Don’t let your fine lines rob you of the joy of getting old. Aging may not be portrayed in media as a positive or welcome change, but it holds an abundance of rewarding experiences. Many regard their wrinkles as signs of wisdom, maturity, and the emotions they’ve gone through. They are the survival lines of their journey.

With consistent effort, a strong will, and some patience, you can celebrate your wrinkles too. Age with grace and confidence.

 

 

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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