Astrophobia (fear of the stars): symptoms, causes and treatment

Some people develop a strong fear of the stars or celestial bodies in general.

The vastness of the universe, space or cosmos, as well as the large number of stars and celestial bodies that inhabit it, can be both fascinating and intimidating for people who observe it. However, if this sensation turns into an exacerbated fear of them, it is very possible that we are facing a case of astrophobia..

Throughout this article we will talk about this specific type of phobia. We will analyze the characteristics that distinguish it from a normal fear and we will describe its main symptoms, causes and treatments.

What is astrophobia?

The astrophobia is a psychological alteration that is part of the anxiety disorders.. Based on its name, it is easy to deduce that it is an excessive, irrational and uncontrollable fear of the stars or celestial bodies found in the cosmos or the universe.

If we take into account the etymological roots of the word, "astro" is a term that comes from Latin and refers to all types of celestial bodies located in outer space and that are also visible from earth; while the concept "phobia" finds its origin in the Greek word "phobos" which means flight or fear.

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, astrophobia is considered an anxiety disorder in which the person experiences an excessive and irrational fear of the stars. experiences an excessive and irrational fear of the starsIn the case of astrophobia, the person experiences an extremely high anxiety whenever the affected person observes the stars.

Although astrophobia is a type of phobia with a very low incidence among the population, This can become an extremely disabling disorder, in which the patient is likely to go to the extreme of staying at home to avoid the risk of seeing the sky.In this case, the patient is susceptible to go to the extreme of remaining confined at home so as not to run the risk of seeing the sky.

Therefore, this mental illness can modify and limit the person's behavior, reducing his or her quality of life. Fortunately, there are very effective treatments for this type of specific phobia thanks to which the person is able to overcome it and lead a normal life.

Clinical characteristics of the disorder

Like the rest of phobias or anxiety disorders, astrophobia has a series of clinical peculiarities that distinguish it from the usual or non-pathological sensations of fear or dread..

Therefore, in order to differentiate astrophobia from a non-pathological fear, it must meet the following characteristics:

• Excessive and disproportionate fear taking into account the actual dangerousness of the phobic situation or stimulus.
• Irrational fearIrrational fear, since the person is unable to offer a logical explanation for it.
• Inability to control the emotions of fear and anguish.
• Generation of avoidance behaviors of the situation.
• The fear appears in a constant and permanent way through the different feared situations.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms of astrophobia are those related to the experience of great anxiety. This clinical picture does not manifest itself continuously over time, but only in those cases in which the person faces or anticipates what he/she is going to face with the phobic stimulus; in this case, the stars and celestial bodies..

These symptoms can be classified into three groups, depending on whether they correspond to physical, cognitive or behavioral symptoms.

1. Physical symptoms

Before the occurrence of the phobic situation, the central nervous system undergoes an excessive increase of its activitygenerating a large number of changes and alterations at the physiological and organic level.

This physical symptomatology includes:

• Increased Heart rate..
• Increased respiration.
• Palpitations.
• Sensation of suffocation.
• Muscle tension.
• Increased levels of sweating.
• Headache..
• Gastric disturbances.
• Dizziness.
• Nausea and/or vomiting.
• Fainting and loss of consciousness.

2. Cognitive symptoms

The appearance of physical symptomatology is subject to a series of incoherent or extravagant beliefs and ideas about the phobic situation or stimulus and its presumed dangerousness. These ideas make up the cognitive symptoms and usually appear in advance generating anxiety symptoms.

Among the cognitive symptoms typical of astrophobia are:

• Distorted thoughts about stars and celestial bodies.
• Intrusive and uncontrollable ideas that flood the patient's mind.
• Obsessive speculations about the possible dangers of the stars.
• Catastrophic imagination in relation to the feared object.
• Fear of losing control and not being able to manage the situation favorably.

3. Physical symptoms

The main consequence to the symptoms of anxiety, previously named, is the realization of a series of behaviors or patterns of conduct that arise as a response to the feared stimulus.

These physical symptoms appear with the purpose of avoiding the feared circumstances or to flee from them in the case that it has not been possible to avoid them. In this way, the person with astrophobia tries to avoid experiencing unpleasant emotions such as anxiety and distress.

These behavioral patterns are known as avoidance behaviors and escape behaviors. In avoidance behaviors, the person performs a series of acts with the intention of eliminating the possibility of having to face them.

On the other hand, escape behaviors appear when the person suffering from astrophobia is inevitably confronted with the feared situation or stimulus. Throughout the situation, the person will perform all kinds of acts or behaviors that allow him/her to escape. behaviors that allow him/her to escape from the situation as quickly as possible.

What causes it?

Although, for the moment, no completely reliable causes have been established to explain phobias. Researchers point to the possibility that the experience of highly traumatic or emotionally charged events or experiences or with a high emotional charge, together with a genetic predisposition to the harmful effects of stress, establish a basis for the appearance of a specific anxiety disorder such as astrophobia.

In addition, there are other factors such as personality, cognitive styles or vicarious learning, which can favor the appearance and development of an irrational and uncontrollable fear such as phobias.

Treatment of this phobia

In spite of the low incidence of astrophobia, there are very effective treatments and interventions common to the rest of specific phobias thanks to which the person can overcome his fear and continue with his life in a normal way..

In the case of specific anxiety disorders such as phobias, the type of intervention that proves to be most effective is cognitive-behavioral therapy.In this case, through systematic desensitization (SD), the person can get used to face the object of his or her fear.

In this systematic desensitization the patient is exposed in an imaginary way to a series of situations related to the phobia, which are ordered gradually, from lower to higher degree of fear. Relaxation techniques are also applied to reduce the level of anxiety.

Another widely used technique is that of live exposure, whereby the person is exposed to a series of situations related to the phobia.by means of which the person is exposed directly and gradually to the feared situation. However, these techniques should always be carried out under the supervision and guidance of a mental health professional.