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

Trichophobia – Fear of Hair

Share This Article
Share Post

Let’s Untangle the Fear of Hair

Phobias denote extreme fears of particular situations or objects. Trichophobia, by definition, means a constant fear of hair, especially the fear of loose hair on the clothing, body, or elsewhere. The fear could result in various symptoms that might affect daily life.

Quick Fact: The fear of hair is also known as chaetophobia.

Do you feel stressed out when you discover loose hair on your chair or shirt? Do you feel anxiety with circumstances involving hair, such as haircuts? If so, you might be experiencing signs of trichophobia, which describes a persistent and excessive fear of hair phobia. For instance, a brush with loose hair might elicit feelings of anxiety and fear.

Although a phobia can initially feel annoying, it might ultimately hinder daily living and your capacity to function in social circumstances or at work. If you’re exhibiting trichophobia symptoms, fear has probably taken over your life. Common symptoms include sweating, dizziness, and rapid breathing. Fear of contamination or disease might contribute to this condition, especially if the fear centers on the sight or sensation of loose hair on your skin. The conviction that hair is a contaminant might cause individuals to fear body hair. People might even adopt obsessive cleaning tendencies to eliminate loose hair on surfaces.

Fortunately, various treatments exist that might help you conquer your fear. Keep in mind that treatment outcomes will differ based on the person, the extent of the phobia, and the approach. Mild fear might respond to lifestyle changes that address anxiety and stress levels, such as deep breathing.

For those with a severe phobia, therapy and, in some instances, the addition of certain medications might be useful. Without treatment, some phobias might lead to substance use disorder, isolation, or serious complications, including self-harm.

Remember, there’s support, and you aren’t alone. Consult your healthcare provider for direction on support groups as well as other resources. For many, the initial step towards addressing this fear is simply to understand the cause.

What Is Trichophobia?

This term denotes the irrational and morbid fear of hair, specifically, hair loss. Individuals with this phobia become very uncomfortable, anxious, and terrified by clumps of hair or loose hair. In most cases, this fear originates from the conviction that the hair is innately dirty or an avenue of contracting diseases or undesirable germs.

This extreme fear causes you to regard hair with disgust. At times, the fear can be so overwhelming that it hinders daily living. In numerous cases, the irrational fear of hair doesn’t take place overnight. The condition takes time for manifestation to take place.

At times, the phobia is simply an unpleasant manifestation of a different facet of the person’s life or wellbeing. For example, someone with a severe fear of hair might also have OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder, characterized by overzealous organization and cleaning.

People with this phobia frequently recognize the irrationality of their behavior, yet they can’t help themselves. This phobia has intrigued many as people wonder what causes trichophobia or heightens one’s vulnerability to the condition. In some instances, people are generally more vulnerable to phobias if a family member has an irrational fear or if they’ve spent time around those with phobias.

Symptoms of Trichophobia, the Fear of Hair

The symptoms of this phobia are individual in nature. Psychological or physical symptoms that you experience can vary.

Physical Symptoms

  • Sweating
  • Dizziness
  • Rapid breathing
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Shaking
  • Nausea
  • Cold or hot flashes

Psychological Symptoms

  • A feeling of impending doom
  • A feeling of imminent death
  • Extreme panic or anxiety
  • Feelings of squeamishness or disgust at the sight of hair
  • A sense of powerlessness

Avoidance is also a common indication of particular phobias. Individuals with trichophobia might attempt to avoid encountering clumps of hair or loose hair through excessive cleaning. In some cases, people might even exhibit a panic attack when faced with the source of fear. A panic attack manifests as the abrupt onset of intense anxiety. People might feel they can’t breathe, experience the sense that they’re choking, and might even fear that they’re dying or losing their mind.

How to Treat the Fear of Hair

Trichophobia can be a complex and challenging phobia to address. However, appropriate coping techniques and guidance will help you regain control over the phobia so that you can enjoy life.

Self-help

To begin with, you can try your best to accept the fact that there’s hair all around. If you reside with roommates or family, chances are, you’ve seen some strands, particularly in the bathroom.

Remember, loose hair doesn’t comprise nearly sufficient bacteria or germs to cause illness. You don’t have to rush by or avoid exposing yourself to the strands. This isn’t advisable if your objective is to tackle this phobia.

Coping with this phobia is a slow and gradual process that demands a healthy approach. Although it will take some time, you’ll soon discover it was worth it as long as you’re willing to try. Other self-help measures include:

Relaxation Techniques

Explore techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, and progressive muscle relaxation. When you find yourself exhibiting anxiety symptoms in reaction to the sight of hair, adopt the techniques you’ve been practicing to relax your mind and body.

Self-care

Stick to healthy routines such as obtaining sufficient sleep, engaging in physical activity regularly, and eating well. Once you feel well, you’ll be in a better position to manage the anxiety effectively.

Professional Help

If you or a loved one has this phobia, don’t worry. It’s manageable. In most instances, psychotherapy and a combination of particular medications are beneficial. Even talking about your fear is an effective way to deal with this phobia. Professional treatment approaches include:

CBT – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

This therapy entails exposing someone to the source of their fear and implementing other coping techniques. The focus of this therapy is gaining confidence with your feelings and thoughts. It’s about mastering your feelings instead of your thoughts and feelings overpowering you.

Exposure Therapy

This offers constant exposure to a feared situation or object—in this case, hair. Exposure and the experience of various feelings and thoughts related to fear might help you get to the source of your phobia and discover ways of managing it.

Yoga or Meditation

Yoga or meditation is great for treating this phobia. Both aim to steady and calm the mind. Like any procedure, self-help is gradual. Those with this phobia shouldn’t expect their fear of hair to disappear after a few sessions of yoga or meditation. Taking the initial step is what matters most.

Prescriptions from a Doctor

This option applies only when other techniques prove futile. It’s important to consult a specialist before taking medications to make sure you recognize the possible risks or side effects. The enactment of this mode of treatment should occur conservatively. You’ll find that medications typically cover the physiological effects of different fears rather than treat the phobias themselves.

 

How to Avoid Trichophobia

By definition, those with this condition can’t prevent it because the phobia exists already. However, they can adopt certain measures to improve quality of life and prevent their future or current offspring from adopting the same phobia. Remember, one becomes more vulnerable to phobias and irrational fears if family members exhibit the same or if they face constant exposure to environments comprised of people with phobias. If you have children, you should seek medical help to decrease the probability of your children developing the fear.

Last Words on the Fear of Hair

A significant step to overcoming this fear is to have a strong network. You’ll discover that dealing with the phobia becomes less overwhelming when you know that there’s support. You should take the time to understand your phobia to gain a feeling of control.

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