Siderodromophobia (train phobia): symptoms, causes and treatment

Let's see what are the characteristics of train phobia, a rare anxiety disorder.

Sheldon Cooper, one of the characters of the series "The Big Bang Theory", is well known for his great fondness for trains, bordering almost obsessive, although it is not the only peculiarity that defines him.

In today's article we are going to talk about a phobia, the siderodromophobia which could be seen as just the opposite of what this character feels. It consists of the irrational fear of trains, similar vehicles and riding on them.

It is a relatively frequent fear, especially related to news about railway catastrophes and urban legends in which trains play a leading role. Let's take a closer look at the characteristics that define this specific phobia.

What is siderodromophobia?

Siderodromophobia (from the Greek "sidero", "iron or railway"; "dromo", "races, circuit"; "phobos", "fear, dread") is the fear of trains, railroads and subways, as well as travel with these vehicles.. Those who suffer from this specific phobia feel unable to travel by train and, in the most severe cases, to approach, talk to or see images of trains.

Siderodromophobia is related to other phobias associated with traveling, either generally or in specific vehicles, such as motorophobia (fear of cars), amaxophobia (fear of driving at night), aerophobia (fear of airplanes and flying) or naviphobia (fear of sailing).

Symptomatology

As with other phobias, the siderophobic person feels very high levels of anxiety when faced with the phobic stimulus, in this case trains, or if he/she is immersed in a situation related to them, such as riding in one of these vehicles.

The physiological symptoms coincide with those of any other phobia, mainly being palpitations, tremors, excessive sweating, irregular heartbeat, dryness and pasty mouth, nausea, and breathing difficulties. and breathing difficulties. Psychological phobias include high anxiety, thoughts that the train is going to derail, fear of having to catch a train....

People with fear of trains carry out behaviors with the intention of avoiding any situation related to them. This may involve avoiding riding one of them, watching movies or series in which they appear, not going near the train station, among others. This may involve a highly variable degree of interference in the patient's life, given that there are usually other means of transport that take the same route.Given that there are usually other means of transport available for the same route, it should be said that depending on where you live, the train is perhaps the only or the fastest transport option, so avoiding it means wasting a lot of time looking for alternative routes.

Possible causes

The causes behind siderodromophobia can be quite varied, being a combination of external events, such as having had a bad experience with a trainThe causes behind siderodromophobia can be very varied, being a combination of external events, such as having had a bad experience with a train, together with personality traits that serve to establish a phobic disorder, especially if one is very neurotic. Several explanations have been tried to understand why the fear of trains and related vehicles appears.

Since psychoanalysis, starting with Sigmund Freud himself, the sensations of traveling by train have been related to sexuality. In 1906 Freud explained that the relationship between train travel and sexual desire is related to the pleasurable sensation generated by the trip, especially with the movement of the carriage. A person who represses his or her sexuality might see train travel as inappropriate and therefore fear it, seeing it as obscene. This explanation has no scientific basis.

However, it is important to mention that in Freud's time it was not uncommon for crimes to be committed on trains, and trains could be involved in fatal accidents. All kinds of news about railway catastrophes appeared in the newspapers, so it is not surprising that at that time, being the fastest means of transport, it was also seen as the most dangerous.

This is also true today. Although trains and subways are safer than in the past, from time to time, they are still the most dangerous means of transport in the world. from time to time accidents occur, some of them fatal, that make society shudder with fear.. This can become the cause for a person to become fearful of these vehicles and avoid riding them to the point where it is impossible to go near one again.

Another interesting cause to mention is the way trains are seen in popular culture, especially when talking about scary stories and urban legends. There are many stories of people who have committed suicide by jumping onto train tracks, or who have been accidentally run over while crossing the tracks. While these misfortunes do happen in real life, it is the way in which it is transformed into a scary story that would make one have a lot of dread of these vehicles.

Treatments

Depending on how much a person is afraid of trains, he or she may or may not dare to ride one, but most likely will not. It is for this reason that the help of a professional is necessary to treat this specific type of phobia.This is why it is necessary to use a program organized in steps that, progressively, allow the person to ride a train or subway.

This phobia has certain similarities with the phobia of airplanes, only it has a difference that makes it easier to treat the siderodromophobic: traveling by train (e.g., commuter trains) or subway is much cheaper and more affordable than taking a flight. It is for this reason that the therapist can work by accompanying the patient to enter the station, enter the vehicle and remain at the patient's side for the duration of the journey.

However, despite the fact that trains and subways are more common than airplanes, the therapist can work with the patient to enter the station, enter the vehicle and remain at the patient's side for the duration of the journey, the patient will not always be willing to start being exposed to his phobia in such a direct way, not even by approaching the train station.even approaching the train station. For this reason, and as has been done with the fear of airplanes, there are treatments using virtual reality that allow working on siderodromophobia without having to leave the security offered by being in the psychologist's office.

In addition to psychological treatment, there is the pharmacological option, although it should be noted that drugs do not help to eliminate the phobia. Among the most commonly used for phobias, and also common in the treatment of other anxiety disorders, are anxiolytics, which are used to prevent panic attacks, and antidepressants, which are not only useful in depression.

Bibliographical references:

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association.
• Bados, A.(2009). Specific phobias: Nature, assessment, and treatment. Electronic publication.