Harpaxophobia (fear of being robbed): symptoms, causes and treatment

Sometimes it is a justified fear, but sometimes it can become pathological.

Harpaxophobia is the persistent fear of burglars.. It is a circumstance that, being categorized as a phobia, implies the possibility that the experience of assault causes an irrational fear. But can this be considered an unjustified fear, is it a specific phobia or is it rather an experience that accompanies more complex social discomforts?

We will see below how harpaxophobia can be defined and what elements accompany it.

Harpaxophobia: fear of burglars

The term "harpaxophobia" is derived from the Latin "harpax" meaning "thief" or "one who steals"; and also from the Greek word "phobos" meaning fear. Thus, harpaxophobia is the persistent and intense fear of burglars, as well as of experiencing a burglary.

It is a fear that is activated by a specific stimulus: the possibility that someone around us may steal something from us.. But, for someone to be able to perform such an act, it is necessary that the circumstances allow it: in principle it must be in a place where the theft can go unnoticed (a very lonely space, or a space with a large number of people).

On the other hand, many robberies, although committed by a single person, may be covered or supported by several other people. If, in addition to this, it is a moment in which our attention is dispersed or focused on a specific activity, or we find ourselves in a situation of significant defenselessness. in an important situation of defenselessness with respect to the possible aggressors.In the case of harpaxophobia, the whole circumstance becomes a potential risk to our belongings or our physical integrity.

Having said this, we can see that harpaxophobia is not only the fear of being robbed by a person, but of any circumstance that implies the real or perceived possibility of suffering an assault or a direct aggression. Several elements are mixed in this, which have to do with our previous experiences, direct or indirect to violence, our imaginary about who may be potential aggressors, our difficulties to function in certain public spaces, among others.

In this sense, harpaxophobia could be categorized as a specific a specific situational phobiafollowing the criteria of specific phobia manuals. However, harpaxophobia has not been studied or considered as such by experts in psychology and psychopathology. This may be because, far from being a disorder, the persistent and intense fear of assault is rather an overadaptive response generated in the face of constant exposure to violence, either directly or indirectly.

Main symptoms of specific phobias

The main symptoms of specific phobias are caused by the activation of the autonomic nervous system, which acts in the presence of a stimulus perceived as noxious. This system is in charge of regulating our involuntary motor responses, which prepares us to avoid possible harm, either by fleeing, hiding, exerting physical resistance, among others.

We thus generate a series of physiological reactions. For example, the increase in the speed of palpitations, hyperventilation palpitations, hyperventilation, sweating, decreased digestive activity, among others.among others. All this while we process at high speed the information about the threatening event. The latter constitutes the typical picture of anxiety, and in cases of increased exposure to the stimulus, it can turn into a panic attack, which is more frequent in specific phobias of the situational type.

The level of anxiety experienced depends to a large extent on the stimulus causing the phobia. That is, it depends on the degree of danger it represents, as well as on the safety signals that the stimulus itself may offer.

In the case of harpaxophobia, the experience of anxiety can increase significantly in contexts where the probability of being assaulted is higher (passing through a dark street alone, carrying a large amount of money or items of high economic value, crossing a generally troubled or overly touristy neighborhood, etc.).

In addition to the latter, there are other elements, such as the person's state of mind (which can lead to increased susceptibility), and the perceived possibilities of fleeing or receiving help if necessary.

Possible causes

Specific phobias are acquired experiences, which means that they are generated by constantly reinforced associations constantly reinforced associations about a stimulus and the dangers associated with it.. Three of the most popular explanatory models for these associations are classical conditioning, vicarious learning and information transmission.

Likewise, three of the most important elements for the consolidation of a specific phobia are the following (Bados, 2005):

• The severity and frequency of direct negative experiences with the stimulus.The severity and frequency of direct negative experiences with the stimulus, which in this case would be having suffered theft in the past.
• Having had fewer previous safe experiences related to noxious stimuli. In the case of harpaxophobia it can be, for example, not having gone through the same place without having been assaulted.
• Related to the above, the third element is not having been exposed to the noxious situation. having been exposed to the noxious situation in other conditions after the negative experience..

In this sense, harpaxophobia can develop by direct or indirect exposure to violence. That is, after having been assaulted, or having witnessed one, or knowing someone who has been assaulted. The latter can easily translate into a constant feeling of threat, generating avoidance behaviors towards places that represent a risk, as well as defensive behaviors to prevent assaults, especially in places with high crime rates.

Thus, it can hardly be defined as a disproportionate response, given that the stimulus that provokes it (a robbery) is potentially harmful to physical and emotional integrity. a set of adaptive and proportional responses to the stimulus..

In the event that such responses become generalized and prevent the person from performing daily activities on a regular basis, or negatively impact interpersonal relationships, or provoke a generalized anxiety experience, then it may not be harpaxophobia, but a more complex experience of discomfort. For example, an experience related to social interactions or open spaces, of which the fear of burglars is only a part.

Treatment

Once this has been explored and determined, there are different strategies of emotional support that can be used to reduce prolonged and intense experiences of anxiety..

The latter will not necessarily remove the fear of burglars, as this could be counterproductive, but can minimize deeper fears (such as of certain social interactions), and at the same time maintain self-care strategies. In these cases, it is advisable to seek psychotherapy to learn how to manage stress levels and regain autonomy.

Bibliographical references:

• Bados, A. (2005). Specific phobias. Faculty of Psychology. Department of personality, evaluation and psychological treatments. University of Barcelona. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
• Harpaxophobia. (2017). Common-Phobias.com. Retrieved September 17, 2018. Available at http://common-phobias.com/Harpaxo/phobia.htm