What Is Haphephobia?

Haphephobia is an anxiety-related fear that can significantly interfere with a person’s life. Despite what it sounds like, it’s not half a phobia; it’s a full-fledged abnormal, yet palpable, dread. A phobia, by definition, is a sort of anxiety illness that generates an extreme and largely unreasonable reaction to the presence or even the notion of the object that is dreaded. The dread of being touched is referred to as haphephobia in this circumstance. Aphephobia and Thixophobia are two other names for it. The anxiety response can be quite moving, and the individual experiencing it has a strong aversion to touching or being touched.

Haphephobia is not a physical ailment. Allodynia, or hypersensitivity to touch, is not the same thing as well. When people with haphephobia are touched, they do not experience pain. The fear of being touched, on the other hand, is often paralyzing. Physical symptoms include hives, hyperventilation, and fainting.

Haphephobia Vs Autism

Many autistic persons dislike being touched. According to some studies, a person with autism’s brain responds to physical touch in the same manner that a person with haphephobia does. Not everyone with autism has haphephobia, and having haphephobia does not automatically imply that you have autism, however, studies suggest that almost half of all autistic people also have an anxiety disorder. Up to two-thirds of that half have a specific phobia, which could include haphephobia. People with autism are frequently bullied or abused, which can develop to haphephobia.

Who Does Haphephobia Affect?

Haphephobia can affect anyone. If one of your parents or other family members have haphephobia, you are more likely to have it as well. For some people, haphephobia is their sole mental health problem. Others associate haphephobia with another condition, such as:

• Agoraphobia: The fear of being overcome by panic or anxiety causes some people to avoid a wide range of circumstances.
• Mysophobia (fear of germs): The fear of being touched may stem from a desire to avoid being contaminated.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Fear of touch can result from being involved in or witnessing a terrible event. It can happen as a result of sexual abuse, sexual assault, or rape.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): People with OCD may experience anxiety about situations over which they have no control, such as being touched.
• Ochlophobia (fear of being touched in a crowd): A person may be apprehensive about being touched in a crowd.

What Causes Haphephobia?

There is no single cause of phobia. Some people may never discover the precise etiology of haphephobia. People are more likely than others to develop a phobia. Women, for example, are twice as prone as males to develop situational phobias. Fears of certain settings or interactions are known as situational phobias. You are also more likely to acquire haphephobia if you have any of the following:

• Anxiety disorders run in the family
• Other phobias or mental health issues
• Personal history of having a negative reaction to being touched
• Personality type that is prone to feeling inhibited

Symptoms of Haphephobia

The degree of haphephobia symptoms varies. Some people with this phobia may be able to create enough trust with one or two select people over time to overcome their reactions. They may also tolerate touch that they initiate or expressly allow another person to initiate. Others are still apprehensive about any kind of touch. If you have haphephobia, your reactions to your trigger may be similar to those of persons who have other phobias. Some of the symptoms include:

• Heart palpitations or an increase in heart rate
• Flushed skin or a feeling of being overheated
• Sweating
• Uncontrollable shaking or tremors
• Hyperventilating
• Hives
• Vomiting or nausea
• Faintness (syncope)
• Children also experience haphephobia and likely symptoms include;
• Cling to a parent or caregiver for dear life
• Uncontrollable sobs
• When touched, the posture freezes
• Throw a temper tantrum

Diagnosing Haphephobia

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-S) does not recognize phobia as a discrete illness. It’d be labeled as a distinct phobia which is a phobia of a specific object or situation. Your doctor will ask you questions regarding the nature, length, and severity of your symptoms in order to diagnose this disease. They may also take a medical history, perform a physical exam, and run laboratory tests to rule out other diseases. To be diagnosed with a phobia, the following requirements must be met:

• The individual exhibits an excessive or illogical anxiety of the situation (in this case, human touch).
• When you are exposed to the situation, you will experience an acute anxiety response or panic attack.
• The individual is aware that his or her fear is excessive and illogical.
• When possible, the scenario is purposefully avoided.
• A person’s capacity to perform in routine, day-to-day tasks is hampered by avoidance or anxiety.

How to Treat Haphephobia

The goal of haphephobia treatment is to help you control your symptoms so they don’t interfere with your life. Treatment options for haphephobia include:

Exposure Therapy

This involves progressively introducing a certain fear into your thoughts or life. This therapy involves receiving a touch on the arm from a trusted loved one. You can practice receiving the touch in person over time. Exposure therapy is frequently used as the initial treatment for a specific phobia. The therapy is effective for approximately 90% of persons who persist with it.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

In CBT, you discuss your symptoms and anxieties with a therapist. The therapist assists you in identifying unreasonable beliefs and teaches you how to replace them with rational ones. CBT is frequently used as part of a larger treatment strategy for phobias rather than as a stand-alone therapy.

Hypnotherapy

A hypnotherapist guides you to a state of intense attention. You become briefly unconscious of your surroundings and more receptive to fresh ideas or suggestions. Hypnotherapy can be combined with other methods of therapy.

Medication

You may be prescribed medication to treat anxiety disorders or specific phobias. For example, your doctor may advise you to take alprazolam or diazepam before specific events. These medications may help you manage your symptoms temporarily in order to avoid panic attacks.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR is frequently successful for trauma survivors. You focus on a traumatic memory while being prompted by certain rhythmic movements during therapy. EMDR can assist you in processing and moving on from a traumatic event.

Coping with Haphephobia

In addition to receiving therapy for your condition, there are steps you may take on your own to help you deal. Among them are the following:

• Take Care of yourself: Make sure to look after both your physical and emotional wellness. Get enough of rest, eat a good diet, exercise regularly, and find ways to relax and handle stress.
• Get Help: It’s also crucial to have friends and family that understand and support you. Joining a self-help group where you can chat to people who are going through similar situations may also be beneficial.
• Avoid Reinforcing your Fears: Avoidance coping reinforces and increases your phobia. This does not mean that you must approach your fear directly, but finding ways to progressively expose yourself to what you are frightened of will help you conquer your anxiety.

Now that you Know…

The dread of being touched is referred to as haphephobia. Some people are afraid of being touched by people of a certain gender. For some, the fear spreads to everyone. When people with haphephobia are touched, they frequently experience physical signs of extreme distress. They may feel queasy, hot, or as though their heart is pounding. Many people find that treatment, such as therapy or medication, helps them control their haphephobia symptoms and live a more comfortable life. Also, while treatment can help, haphephobia can raise your risk of anxiety, depression, social withdrawal or isolation, and substance use disorders, including the overuse of alcohol or drugs, if left untreated.