Ahead, clinical psychologists explain how pistantrophobia develops, its symptoms and possible treatment methods.
What is pitaphobia?
Pistanthrophobia is an irrational, persistent fear of trusting others. Fistantrophobia (like Cherophobia, Scopopobia, Aerophobia, and Thanatophobia) is part of the broader category of anxiety disorders and is classified as a specific phobia in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
Symptoms of Pitanthropobia
The psychological and physical symptoms associated with pitanthrophobia vary from person to person. Nonetheless, some common symptoms that people share are described below.
Symptoms and behaviors of pitanthrophobia include:
- A strong, irrational fear of being ignored, deceived, or harmed by excessive trust
- Avoiding intimate or romantic relationships to avoid getting emotionally hurt.
- General distrust of other people's intentions
- Inability to “open up” or be vulnerable with others
- Anxiety or panic about dating or intimate relationships
Symptoms of anxiety and phobias tend to overlap, according to Gail Saltz, clinical associate professor of psychiatry at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. After all, phobias are essentially anxiety disorders. Because of this, some physical symptoms of pitanthrophobia include:
- Increased heart rate (palpitations)
- excessive sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Nausea or stomach discomfort
What causes pitansrophobia?
Pitansrophobia, like all other phobias, is said to generally develop through one or a combination of three main pathways: Dr. Kevin ChapmanClinical Psychologist and Founder Kentucky Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders.
The first path is formed through observational learning. Observational learning (aka modeling the behavior we are exposed to) can occur when, as children, we learn to fear something by observing adults who have the same fear. People with pitaphobia may have witnessed their parents being extremely wary of cheating, or they may have heard their parents express how suspicious they were of their partners.
The second pathway, according to Dr. Chapman, is trauma. For people who struggle with trustophobia, the fear of trusting others may stem from one or several of their past negative experiences with trust. A traumatic event involving being cheated, lied to, or otherwise deceived can be enough to develop full-blown pistantrophobia.
Finally, the final route through which phobias are formed is information transmission. Information transfer occurs when someone does something. Learn about the threat of dangerOne From someone else. For pitansrophobia, this could be watching pop culture news clips of celebrities cheating or reading statistics related to infidelity.
There is no current research on who is most likely to develop phobias. but, Results2 Women are more likely to be diagnosed with specific phobias than men. Genetic factors also play a role. According to Dr. Chapman, if someone in your family has a phobia, You are more likely to develop yourselfthree.
People with certain mental health problems are also more likely to develop phobias, says Dr. Saltz. If you have depression, anxiety, substance abuse disorder, or panic disorder, you're more likely to develop phobias than people who don't have depression, she says.
How do I know if I have pitansrophobia?
If your fear of trusting others has begun to interfere with your functioning and daily activities, you may be suffering from a phobia. To determine if you have pitansrophobia, “the symptoms need to have escalated to the next level. Pretty It’s impacting your life in more than one area,” says Dr. Saltz. In other words, if your fear of trusting others affects your friendships, romantic relationships, career, hobbies, or interests, you are very likely anti-averse.
Another sign that your “trust issues” may be trustophobia is that you have experienced the symptoms described above for a long time. According to Dr. Saltz, phobias are persistent and to be classified as one, an individual must have experienced symptoms for more than six months.
A medical professional, such as a clinical psychologist, can help you determine whether you have phobias by asking you to describe your symptoms and how they affect your quality of life, and a medical diagnosis can help you determine the next steps as far as treatment goes. It can help you do that. (Treatment options are discussed in more detail below).
Pitantrophobia vs Philophobia
Pistanthrophobia and Philophobia are two different, although similar, phobias in that they both revolve around elements of interpersonal vulnerability and trust. Pistantrophobia is the fear of trusting others, and philophobia is the fear of falling in love.
People with philophobia have broader, more generalized fears about the potential implications of romantic love. Trust may be a factor in a person's fear of love, but their fear extends beyond the 'assumption' of trusting another person.
Is pitansrophobia treatable?
Fortunately, pistantrophobia (and all other phobias) is potentially treatable with treatment. In fact, the National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 75% of people with specific phobias overcome their fears through professional treatment.
How to treat apophobia
When it comes to treatment options, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the “gold standard” for treating phobias, says Dr. Chapman. Exposure therapy, in particular, is a particularly successful form of CBT used by professionals to treat phobias. Exposure therapy, as its name suggests, involves exposing patients to their fears in small, gradual doses.
Dr. Saltz says medication can be a very useful treatment option for people starting treatment for the first time. Doctors typically prescribe certain serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) to people suffering from phobias to reduce psychological levels of anxiety. This makes exposure therapy more accessible and less anxiety provoking. After exposure therapy has fully progressed, medication is typically reduced until the patient is completely off the medication.
What should I do if I have a phobia?
If you have antiphobia and find it increasingly difficult to trust others, it may be time to seek professional help. A clinical psychologist, therapist, or qualified counselor can help you learn how to overcome phobias and can also help you address any problems that arise in your current relationships as a result of your diagnosis (for example, in your current romantic relationship). Learn how to rebuild trust or overcome doubt, etc.).
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- Muris, Peter, and Andy P Field. “The role of verbal threat information in the development of fear in childhood. “Watch out for the Jabberwock!” Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review volume. 13,2(2010): 129-50. doi:10.1007/s10567-010-0064-1
- Fredrikson, M et al. “The prevalence of specific fears and phobias varies by gender and age.” Behavioral Research and Therapy vol.34,1(1996): 33-9. doi:10.1016/0005-7967(95)00048-3
- Steinhausen, Hans-Christoph et al. “Familial aggregation and risk factors for phobic disorders across three generations in a national study.” PLOS ONE volume. 11,1e0146591. January 19, 2016, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0146591